Mirror reflective element sub-assembly for exterior rearview mirror of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element having a transparent substrate. A mirror reflector is disposed at a surface of the transparent substrate and a heater pad is disposed at a rear surface of the transparent substrate. A mirror back plate is disposed at the heater pad and has a first structure formed at a rear plate surface and configured to attach at an actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly. A blind spot indicator element is disposed at a second structure formed at the rear plate surface and includes a light source that is activatable to emit light. The blind spot indicator element and the second structure are configured so that light emitted by the blind spot indicator illuminates an icon so that the illuminated icon is principally viewed by a driver of the vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/646,960, filed Oct. 8, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,833,987,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/335,135,filed Dec. 22, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,282,253, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/550,054, filed Aug.28, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,083,386, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/520,193, filed Sep. 13, 2006, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,581,859, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 60/717,093, filed Sep. 14, 2005, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to exterior rearview mirror assembliesand, more particularly, to an exterior rearview mirror assembly having ablind spot/object detection indicator and/or a lane change aid (LCA)indicator and/or a turn signal or indicator at the exterior rearviewmirror assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide an object in a blind spot detection/LCA systemfor a vehicle that detects the presence of another vehicle or object inthe lane next to the host vehicle, where it may be difficult for thedriver of the host vehicle to determine whether or not there is anothervehicle or object adjacent to the host vehicle. Such an object in ablind spot detection/LCA system often includes a visual indicator thatvisually indicates the detection of another vehicle or object to thedriver of the host vehicle. It is also know to provide a turn signalindicator that is activated when a turn signal is activated by thedriver of the host vehicle so as to provide an indication of the vehicleturning or changing lanes to the driver of a vehicle in an adjacent laneto the host or subject vehicle or to another person external to the hostor subject vehicle. The visual indicator or indicators (commonly a lightemitting diode or the like) of such systems is/are often located at themirror reflective element of the exterior rearview mirror assembly.

The object/LCA visual indicator or indicators indicate or alert thedriver of the host vehicle of the presence or impending presence ofanother vehicle or object in a blind spot in an adjacent side lane thattypically cannot be readily seen within the field of view of theexterior mirror reflective element of the exterior mirror assemblymounted at that side of the vehicle and/or cannot be readily seen by thedriver's peripheral vision or the like. The object/LCA visual indicatorstypically are arranged to be viewable principally or solely by thedriver of the host vehicle and not by drivers of other vehicles.Similarly, the turn signal visual indicator or indicators indicate oralert a person external of the host vehicle (such as the driver ofanother vehicle alongside or approaching the host vehicle) that the turnsignal of the host vehicle is activated to indicate that the driver ofthe host vehicle is contemplating or commencing a turn or lane change orthe like. It is desirable that such turn signal visual indicators arenot readily viewable by the driver of the host vehicle when they areactivated. Because of vehicle regulations and mirror and vehicleconfigurations and geometries, and because of the need to provide anuninterrupted reflective surface to satisfy the likes of the FMVSS 111field of view regulation, blind spot/LCA indicators in the prior art aretypically located towards or at the outboard edge, and typically towardsor at the upper corner/quadrant, of the reflective mirror element of theexterior mirror assembly.

Somewhat costly and complicated indicator constructions have beencontemplated that, when placed behind and supported by the mirrorreflective element, attempt to have their projected beam of emittedlight directed principally to be viewed by the driver of the hostvehicle (or other person external to the host vehicle for turn signalapplications) through the mirror reflective element and shielded fromview by other drivers (or from the driver of the host vehicle for turnsignal applications). In some applications, the mirror reflectiveelement may have a transflective reflector coating or may have a windowor port formed in a non-transflective reflector coating. For example,transflective mirror coatings (such as, for example, those described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 3,280,701; 6,855,431; 5,724,187; 5,340,503; 6,286,965;6,196,688; 5,535,056; 5,751,489 and 6,065,840, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties) may be used, oralternately, a transmissive window or port may be formed in thereflective coating or coatings of the mirror reflective element. Anillumination source or indicator may be positioned so as to direct oremit illumination through the window or display area and toward thedriver of the host vehicle so as to be viewable by the driver of thehost vehicle (or outwardly away from the vehicle so as to be generallynot viewable by the driver of the host vehicle for turn signalapplications).

Such a mirror assembly and indicator often include a baffle or otherlight directing element and an illumination source positioned at therear of the mirror reflective element (and generally at the transmissivewindow or port if applicable). The baffle or light directing elementdirects the light or illumination from the illumination source towardthe desired or appropriate viewer (such as the driver of the hostvehicle for blind spot/LCA applications or the driver of another vehiclefor turn signal applications) and away from others (such as away fromother drivers for blind spot/LCA applications or away from the driver ofthe host vehicle for turn signal applications).

Typically, such baffles or light directing elements are adhered to therear surface of the mirror reflective element. In some applications, theillumination source may be provided as a module to the mirror assemblyfacility and adhered to the rear of the mirror reflective element as aunit or module (for instance, light from LEDs facing and emitting lightin the direction away from the mirror element may be reflected backtowards the mirror reflector, and hence through the mirror element,using suitably angled or disposed mirrored surfaces). After the baffleor module is attached to the reflective element, the back plate of themirror assembly may be adhered to the mirror reflective element tocomplete the mirror reflector sub assembly that is then assembled withthe actuator and casing and other components to form the complete mirrorassembly for mounting to the side of the vehicle.

A variety of interior and exterior mirror assemblies with indicators areknown in the art, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,788,357; 6,257,746;6,005,724; 5,481,409; 6,512,624; 6,356,376; 2,263,382; 2,580,014;3,266,016; 4,499,451; 4,588,267; 4,630,904; 4,623,222; 4,721,364;4,906,085; 5,313,335; 5,587,699; 5,575,552; 5,938,320; 6,700,692 and5,786,772, Canadian Pat. No. CA 1,063,695, Pat. Abstracts of JapanPublication No. 0917573, published Jul. 8, 1997, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved object in a blindspot/LCA indicator that is readily viewable by a driver of the hostvehicle and not visible or viewable by a driver of another vehicleand/or an improved turn signal indicator that is readily viewable by thedriver of another vehicle and not visible or viewable by the driver ofthe host vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an object in a blind spot indicator orlane change assist (LCA) indicator or turn signal indicator or otherindicator that is integral with the mirror reflector carrier or backplate of the mirror reflector sub-assembly so as to be positioned at andattached to the mirror reflective element as the back plate is adheredor otherwise attached at the back of the mirror reflective element.Preferably, the signal indicator is provided as a sealed orsubstantially sealed unit or module that can be snapped into orotherwise attached or secured (preferably mechanically but optionallyadhesively) at the mirror back plate, preferably at the mirrorsub-assembly manufacturing operation when the mirror reflective element(and any associated heater or other item or element) is joined to themirror back plate. The present invention thus provides a mirrorreflector carrier or back plate with an integrated blind spotindicator/indicators and/or turn signal indicator/indicators and/orother indicator/indicators.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an exterior rearviewmirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element, aback plate and an indicator or display device. The back plate isattached to the rear surface of the reflective element (the surfaceopposite the front surface, with the front surface facing generallyrearward and toward the driver of the vehicle when the mirror assemblyis mounted to the vehicle) and includes an indicator mount or mountingportion for mounting the indicator at the back plate. The indicatormounting portion extends rearward away from the reflective element andmay be integrally formed with the back plate, preferably by injectionmolding. The indicator mounting portion is formed at an acute anglerelative to the rear surface of the back plate and is generally hollowso as to provide a passageway therealong. The indicator is mounted atthe indicator mounting portion and is activatable so that illuminationfrom the indicator is directed along the angled indicator mountingportion and is thus viewable through the reflective element by a personviewing the mirror reflective element at a desired or generallycorresponding angle.

The back plate may comprise a plastic molding, such as a plastic moldingformed by injection molding or co-injection molding or the like. Theback plate may be formed with an attaching portion, such as a raisedannular ring or annular prongs or annular snaps or the like at its rearsurface (opposite from the mounting face or surface that attaches to themirror reflective element) for attaching the back plate to a mirroractuator (for manually or electrically adjusting an angle of the mirrorreflective element relative to the mirror casing).

According to another aspect of the present invention, a mirrorreflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assemblyof a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plateattached at a rear surface of the mirror reflective element, and adisplay element having a light source that is activatable to emit light.The mirror back plate is formed by injection molding and has a displayreceiving portion established thereat. The display element attaches tothe display receiving portion of the mirror back plate and the lightsource is activatable to emit light through the display receivingportion. The mirror back plate and the display receiving portion areconfigured to orient the display element at a predetermined angle sothat light exiting the display element when the light source isactivated is directed one of (a) generally away from the vehicle whenthe mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle so as to be principallyviewed by drivers of other vehicles and so as to be substantially notviewed by the driver of the host vehicle, and (b) generally toward thedriver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicleso as to be principally viewed by the driver of the host vehicle and soas to be substantially not viewed by drivers of other vehicles.

Optionally, the light emanating from the display element when the lightsource is activated passes through the reflective element before exitingthe mirror reflective element sub-assembly. Optionally, the lightemanating from the display element when the light source is activateddoes not pass through the reflective element before exiting the mirrorreflective element sub-assembly. The light emanating from the displayelement when the light source is activated thus may be directed throughthe display receiving portion at a location separate from the reflectiveelement.

The display receiving portion may include at least one passagewaytherethrough, with the emitted light being directed through thepassageway or passageways. A cover element may be disposed at a forwardsurface of the display receiving portion, so as to at least partiallycover and preferably substantially seal the passageway or passageways ofthe display receiving portion.

Optionally, the display element is associated with a blind spotdetection system of the vehicle. Optionally, the display element isassociated with a turn signal of the vehicle. Optionally, the displayelement may comprise first and second display elements, with a firstdisplay element being associated with a turn signal of the vehicle and asecond display element being associated with a blind spot detectionsystem of the vehicle.

Therefore, the present invention provides a display device or indicatorat the back plate of a mirror reflector sub-assembly. The mirrorreflector sub-assembly thus may achieve enhanced assembly processes, andmay be supplied or provided to a mirror manufacturer or assembler as aunit that includes the indicator mounting portion (and that may alsoinclude the indicator) and display. The integrally formed back plate andindicator mount or mounting portion may be readily attached to themirror reflective element, and the indicator may be readily plugged intoor connected to or received in the indicator mount to assemble themirror reflector sub-assembly. The back plate may include one or moreindicator mounts or mounting portions for providing one or more displaysat the reflective element, such as a blind spot/LCA display and/or aturn signal display and/or the like.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of an exterior mirror assembly with a display device orindicator in accordance with the present invention, shown as viewed inthe direction of travel of the vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the mirror assembly of FIG. 1 with aportion of the casing cut away to show additional details;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of a mirror reflector sub-assemblyhaving a back plate and display device in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 3A is a sectional view of the mirror reflector sub-assembly havinga back plate and display device in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 3B is an enlarged sectional view of the indicator mounting portionand display area of the mirror reflector sub-assembly of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a portion of another mirrorreflector sub-assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a portion of another mirrorreflector sub-assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of another mirror reflectorsub-assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of another mirror reflector sub-assembly ofthe present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of another mirror reflector sub-assembly ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view of another exterior mirror reflector sub-assembly witha display device or indicator in accordance with the present invention,shown as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the mirror reflector sub-assembly of FIG.9;

FIG. 11 is a view of another exterior mirror reflector sub-assembly withanother display device or indicator in accordance with the presentinvention, shown as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the mirror reflector sub-assembly of FIG.11;

FIG. 13 is a view of another exterior mirror reflector sub-assembly withanother display device or indicator in accordance with the presentinvention, shown as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the mirror reflector sub-assembly of FIG.13;

FIG. 15 is a view of another exterior mirror reflector sub-assembly witha display device or indicator in accordance with the present invention,shown as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the mirror reflector sub-assembly of FIG.15;

FIG. 17 is a view of another exterior mirror assembly with a displaydevice or indicator in accordance with the present invention, shown asviewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle; and

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the mirror reflector sub-assembly of FIG.17.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, an exterior rearview mirror assembly 10 for a vehicle includesa mirror reflector sub-assembly 12 and a mirror shell or casing 14 (FIG.1). Mirror assembly 10 is mounted at the side 16 a of a host or subjectvehicle 16. As shown in FIG. 2, mirror reflector sub-assembly 12includes a mirror reflective element 18 and a mirror reflector carrieror back plate 20 attached to or mounted to or adhered to a rear surface18 a of mirror reflective element 18. Mirror assembly 10 includes adisplay element or device 22 that is operable to provide a display orindication at the reflective element for viewing the display orindication through the mirror reflective element. Display device 22includes a generally hollow indicator mounting portion or indicatorreceiving portion or extension or tube 24 (that extends rearwardly froma rear surface 20 a of back plate 20 so as to extend generally away fromthe mirror reflective element 18) and an illumination source orindicator 26, which is attached to or mounted to or received in or atthe indicator mounting portion 24. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG.2, the mirror assembly includes a display device 22 for an object in ablind spot detection system or LCA system, as discussed below, but couldalso or otherwise include a display device for a turn signal indicatoror other indicator device (as discussed below).

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include multiple display elements ordevices (such as two or more display elements or devices) for providingboth an object in a blind spot/LCA indicator and display area 28 a and aturn signal indicator and display area 28 b, such as shown in FIG. 1 andsuch as discussed below with respect to FIG. 6. The two or more displaydevices may be incorporated together into a single unitary displaymodule or unit (and thus with a common connector incorporated in thesingle unitary module and servicing, for example, a commonly housed turnsignal indicator element and blind spot indicator element), or the twoor more display devices may be separate display devices (for example, aLCA blind spot indicator unitary module may be disposed at abottom/lower inward portion of the mirror sub-assembly and a separateturn signal indicator unitary module may be disposed at an upper outwardportion of the mirror sub-assembly), while remaining within the spiritand scope of the present invention. Optionally, for example, a turnsignal indicator or device or element or module of the present inventionmay be incorporated into a mirror sub-assembly, and the exteriorrearview mirror assembly may include a blind spot or lane change assistindicating device or element at a portion of the mirror casing (such asat an inboard facing portion of the casing), such as by utilizingaspects of the indicating elements described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2006/026148, filed Jul. 5, 2006 and published on Jan. 11, 2007 asInternational Publication No. WO 2007/005942, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Indicator mounting portion 24 is unitarily or integrally formed withback plate 20 and is formed at an acute angle relative to the generallyplanar rear surface 20 a of back plate 20. Indicator 26 is operable oractivatable or energizable to provide illumination at and through oralong the indicator mounting portion 24, whereby the illumination isviewable through mirror reflective element 18 by a person viewing themirror assembly 10. The display device 18 may comprise a blind spot orobject detection indicating device that is operable to indicate to thedriver of the subject or host vehicle that an object or other vehicle isdetected at the side or blind spot region of the host vehicle by a blindspot detection system (or may comprise a turn signal indicating devicethat is operable to indicate to the driver or passenger of anothervehicle that the vehicle is turning or changing lanes, or may compriseother forms or types of display or illumination or indicating devices,as discussed below).

Back plate 20 includes an attachment portion 20 b (such as an annularring or tab or annular prongs or annular snaps or the like) forattaching the back plate to an actuator 21, which is adjustable oroperable to adjust a viewing angle of mirror reflective element 18. Ascan be seen in FIG. 2, when the mirror reflective element is canted orangled partially toward the driver of the host vehicle (which istypically the orientation of the reflective element during use so as toprovide a generally rearward field of view to the driver of the hostvehicle), there is sufficient space within the mirror casing at or nearthe outboard portion of the mirror assembly for the indicator mountingportion. The back plate and display device of the present invention thusutilizes the space within the mirror head or casing that is alreadyavailable and typically not used or occupied by other components.

Indicator 26 may include an illumination or light source (such as one ormore light emitting diodes (LEDs) or organic light emitting diodes(OLEDs) or the like) that is/are energized to direct or emitillumination through and along indicator mounting portion 24 so that theillumination is viewable through the reflective element. The mirrorreflective element may include one or more iconistic display areas (suchas the single display area 28 a shown in FIG. 3 or the two display areas28 a and 28 b shown in FIG. 1) so that the illumination is viewable anddiscernible at the reflective element by the desired or targeted viewer,depending on the angle of the indicator mounting portion 24. The mirrorassembly thus may provide an iconistic display for an objectdetection/LCA system and/or an iconistic display for a turn signalindication, and/or may provide other displays or illumination devices,without affecting the scope of the present invention. As shown in FIG.3, the indicator mounting portion may be angled so as to direct thelight toward the vehicle and toward a driver or occupant of the hostvehicle. More particularly, the light beam emitted from the indicator 26and transmitted through the reflective element is angled so as to haveits principle beam axis 27 directed generally toward the eyes of adriver seated in the interior cabin of the host vehicle.

The indicator may be activated or energized in response to a detectionof an object or other vehicle approaching or adjacent to the hostvehicle in order to alert or warn the driver of the host vehicle not toattempt or initiate a lane change that moves the subject or host vehicleinto the already occupied (or soon to be occupied) side lane or regionadjacent either the driver side or the passenger side of the hostvehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, display area 28 a may be for displaying orindicating to the driver of the host vehicle that an object has beendetected in the blind spot, while the display area 28 b may be fordisplaying or indicating a turn signal activation to the driver ofanother vehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, display area 28 acomprises an ISO icon (showing icons representing the host vehicle andanother vehicle at the side and/or rearward of the host vehicle) toindicate to the driver of the host vehicle that another vehicle has beendetected at the side and/or rearward of the host vehicle.

Optionally, however, the display area may comprise other forms, such as,for example, a multi-stage indicator having multiple indicating portionsor elements or devices for indicating a degree of hazard or the like ofan object or vehicle detected alongside and/or rearward of the hostvehicle (such as an indicating display of the types described in PCTApplication No. PCT/US2006/026148, filed Jul. 5, 2006 and published Jan.11, 2007 as International Publication No. WO 2007/005942; and U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/696,953, filed Jul. 6, 2005, andSer. No. 60/784,570, filed Mar. 22, 2006, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties), or other types of indicatingmeans, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

In the illustrated embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 3, mirror reflectiveelement 18 comprises an electro-optic (such as electrochromic)reflective element that includes a rear substrate 30 (such as a glasssubstrate) with a transflective coating or layer 31 (such as anon-dichroic transflector or the like and/or such as utilizing aspectsof the transflective reflective elements described below) on its frontor forward surface 30 a, a front substrate 32 with a transparentconductive coating 33 (such as an indium tin oxide (ITO) or the like) onits rear surface 32 a, and an electro-optic medium 34 disposed betweenthe front substrate 32 and rear substrate 30 and contained therebetweenvia a perimeter seal 35, such as by utilizing aspects of electro-opticor electrochromic reflective elements or cells as discussed below. Adark or opacifying element or layer or coating or film 36 (such as blackor dark color, such as dark blue or dark grey, paint or ink or film orcoating or tape or lacquer or the like, and preferably a dark,light-absorbing layer that is printed or screened onto the fourth orrear surface of the electrochromic reflective element or cell) isdisposed or established on a rear surface 30 b of rear substrate 30 ofreflective element 18. The dark layer may be established via anysuitable establishing methods or means, such as painting, printing, inkjet printing, pad printing, screening or the like.

The icons or pattern that define the display may be established at therear of the rear substrate 30 and between the rear surface 30 b ofsubstrate 30 and the back plate 20. As can be seen with reference toFIGS. 3, 3A and 3B, the icons or pattern that define the display may beestablished through or defined by the dark layer 36 so that icons oriconistic portions 36 a of the dark layer 36 form the icon or icons ofthe iconistic display area 28 a. Optionally, the iconistic portions ofthe display area may be established by etching the dark layer or by amask or the like positioned at the rear surface of the substrate duringthe painting or screening or coating process that applies the darklayer. Optionally, the iconistic portions of the display area may beestablished by etching or masking at a fourth surface conductive busbaror coating (such as a fourth surface conductive busbar of the typesdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23,2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or Ser. No. 11/334,139, filedJan. 18, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,400,435; and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 60/644,903, filed Jan. 19, 2005; and Ser. No.60/667,049, filed Mar. 31, 2005, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference). Optionally, the icons or pattern may be established viacutouts or holes or patterns or indicia portions formed in and throughor partially through a heater pad (that may be attached to or adhered tothe dark or opacifying layer at the rear surface of the reflectiveelement, as discussed below), with the dark layer having an opening oraperture formed therethrough and generally corresponding with theindicia portions of the heater pad when the heater pad is adhered to thedark layer at the rear surface of the reflective element.

In the illustrated embodiment, mirror reflector sub-assembly 12 includesa heater pad 38 adhered or applied at the rear surface 30 b of rearsubstrate 30 of reflective element 18, such as over the dark oropacifying element or layer 36 as shown in FIGS. 3, 3A and 3B. Theheater pad 38 includes a hole or opening or aperture 38 a therethroughthat generally corresponds to the iconistic portions 36 a when theheater pad 38 is attached to the opacifying layer 36 at the rear surface30 b of reflective element 18. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the heaterpad 38 may include an adhesive layer 40 (such as a pressure sensitiveadhesive layer) at its rear surface for adhering the back plate 20 tothe heater pad 38 and thus to the rear surface 30 b of the reflectiveelement 18.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 3, 3A and 3B, back plate 20 isadhered to heater pad 38 such that indicator mounting portion 24 ispositioned or located generally at the aperture 38 a of heater pad 38and the portions 36 a of dark layer 36 so as to be generally at thedisplay area 28 a of the reflective element. Indicator mounting portion24 is generally hollow and includes or provides a passageway 24 atherethrough or therealong, whereby illumination source or indicator 26is mounted at or positioned at the outer or rearward end of indicatormounting portion 24 and at or at partially in passageway 24 a. Indicatormounting portion 24 is preferably molded of a plastic material, such asa dark or black plastic or polymeric material, and is preferably moldedor formed when molding/forming the back plate 20.

Indicator 26 may snap into or may be threaded into the end of theindicator mounting portion 24 or may otherwise be attached or stuck atthe end of the indicator mounting portion, and may have a gasket or sealat the indicator to provide a substantially water proof or waterresistant or water tight seal at the indicator, whereby the indicatormay be sealed at the indicator mounting portion, such as by gluing orpressing or screwing or gasketing or hermetically sealing or otherwisesubstantially sealing the indicator at the indicator mounting portion.The indicator may comprise a self-contained, unitary, sealed orsubstantially sealed, indicator module that includes an illuminationsource (such as one or more LEDs or the like), a DC converter with avoltage dropping resistor (such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,902,284and 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filedJan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties). The module thusmay be connected to a power source and may be activated or energized toilluminate the display for viewing by the driver of the vehicle.Optionally, the electrical connections to the indicator or indicatormodule may be made while the indicator module is attached to the mirrorassembly, such as via a plug and socket type arrangement orconfiguration, and such as by utilizing aspects of the mirror assemblydescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,267, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. The unitary indicator module mayinclude or utilize aspects of various light modules or systems ordevices, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,227,689;6,582,109; 5,371,659; 5,497,306; 5,669,699; 5,823,654; 6,176,602 and/or6,276,821, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Optionally, the module may be supplied or provided to an assemblyfacility (such as a mirror assembly facility or the like) from a modulesupplier while the back plate may be supplied or provided to theassembly facility from a back plate supplier. An operator at theassembly facility may attach the module to the back plate, preferably bysnapping the module to the back plate to assemble the display orindicator to the back plate. Optionally, and desirably, electricalconnection (such as to a power supply or 12 volt power wire of thevehicle battery/ignition system or to a power feed from a LIN buscontroller) to the module may be made when the module is snapped orotherwise attached (preferably mechanically but optionally adhesively)to the back plate (such as by making electrical contact between themodule and mirror circuitry [including circuitry associated with thereflective element and/or mirror assembly, such as electrochromic mirrorcircuitry, mirror lights and display circuitry and the like, typicallydisposed at a printed circuit board of the mirror assembly] when themodule is snapped to the back plate, such as by press attaching thedisplay module into receiving fingers or clips or snaps or the like thatare integrally formed with the back plate in the injection moldingoperation that manufactures or forms the back plate itself) oralternately, electrical connection to the module may be made via othermeans, such as wires or leads or the like before or after the module issnapped or attached to the back plate.

As best seen in FIG. 3B, indicator mounting portion 24 extends at anacute angle A (such as approximately seventy to eighty degrees orthereabouts) relative to the plane defined by back plate 20 so as todirect or guide light through the passageway and in the desireddirection for viewing the object/LCA indication principally or solely bythe driver of the host vehicle. Indicator mounting portion 24 thusdirects the illumination from indicator 26 to and through the reflectiveelement to illuminate the display area 28 a so that the iconisticdisplay is viewable by the driver of the vehicle.

Preferably, indicator mounting portion 24 includes light absorbing meansto substantially absorb non-axially directed light rays passing throughthe passageway 24 a (such as illustrated via the light rays 29 in FIG.3B). For example, the inner wall or surface 24 b of passageway 24 a ofindicator mounting portion 24 may be black or dark, and may be at leastpartially light absorbing, and preferably substantially light absorbing,and most preferably fully light absorbing of light incident thereon.Thus, principally only light rays that pass substantially or entirelythrough the full length of the inner passageway exit the end of thelight emitting passageway, and, therefore, the light emitting source ismainly visible only by viewing axially along or substantially along theline of direction of the passageway. This helps ensure that, forexample, only a driver of the host vehicle principally sees and viewsthe light source when actuated, such as in a blind spot detection/alertsystem. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the inner surface 24 b ofpassageway 24 a of indicator mounting portion 24 may include lightabsorbing elements or structure 24 c, such as graining or stippling orholes (where the light may escape or leak from the indicator mountingportion and into the mirror casing where it is not readily seen by aperson viewing the mirror assembly) or dark, light absorbing cavities orfluting or the like formed at the inner surface 24 b of passageway 24 ato provide a rough surface or otherwise diffuse reflecting surface alongthe passageway 24 a. The walls of the indicator mounting portionpassageway thus function as a light trap and/or at least partiallyabsorb the light emitted by the indicator and, thus, limit reflecting oflight along the extension or indicator mounting portion.

Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 4, the indicator mounting portion 24′of back plate 20′ may be bent or curved or kinked to further trap lightor illumination emitted by the indicator. The illumination beam ofindicator 26′ is thus off-axis with respect to the desired angle ofprojection of the light (the angle A′ of the portion 24 a′ of indicatormounting portion 24′ that is directed toward the driver of the vehicle).The indicator thus may emit light at the bent portion 24 b′, and theoff-axis angled portion 24 a′ of the indicator mounting portion 24′ thatis at or adjacent to the reflective element (not shown in FIG. 4) may beat the desired angle so that the principle beam axis of the emittedlight is directed generally toward the driver of the vehicle.

Thus, the indicator mounting portion or extension that is integrallyformed with the back plate functions as a guide or light directingdevice or element for directing illumination from the indicator throughthe mirror reflective element and in the desired direction or angle forviewing principally by the driver of the vehicle. The angle A (FIG. 3B)of indicator mounting portion 24 relative to back plate 20 may beselected to be directed toward a typical driver's head area when thereflective element is positioned to provide a typical or desiredsideward and rearward field of view to a typical driver of the vehicle.The passageway may be generally cylindrical or may be generally conicalor non-cylindrical, with a wider end at the reflective element. As shownin FIG. 3B, the width dimension B of the area at which iconisticportions 132 a are established may be wider than the dimension C at thepassageway opening at the reflective element. The length D of theindicator mounting portion and passageway may be selected to provide thedesired light directing function, and may be selected to be a greaterlength to provide enhanced directing of light in the desired direction.

Although shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as having a single indicator mountingportion for providing an object in a blind spot/LCA display/indicationto the driver of the host vehicle, the mirror assembly may also orotherwise include an indicator mounting portion and indicator forproviding a turn signal indicator or display that is principallyviewable by the drivers of other vehicles adjacent to or rearward of thehost vehicle. For example, and with reference to FIG. 5, a mirrorreflector sub-assembly 112 may include a back plate 120 that has twoextensions or indicator mounting portions 124 a, 124 b integrally formedtherewith. Mirror reflector sub-assembly 112 includes a reflectiveelement with a rear substrate 130 having a transflective coating 131 atits front surface 130 a and a dark or opacifying element or layer orcoating or tape or film 136 at its opposite rear surface. The dark layer136 forms or defines two iconistic display portions 136 a, 136 b (in asimilar manner as described above) to form or define two display areas128 a, 128 b. A pair of indicators or indicator modules 126 a, 126 b aremounted to or attached to or received in the respective indicatormounting portions 124 a, 124 b as described above, and are operable orenergizable to provide illumination at and along the respectiveindicator mounting portion so as to illuminate the respective iconisticportions 136 a, 136 b and display areas 128 a, 128 b.

For example, indicator mounting portion 124 a may be angled as describedabove to direct the principle beam axis of emitted/transmittedillumination toward the driver of the vehicle so that the iconisticportions 136 a and display area 128 a may display an ISO type display orthe like, while indicator mounting portion 124 b may be angled so thatthe turn signal light beam emitted by the indicator 126 b andtransmitted through the reflective element has its principle beam axisdirected generally away from the eyes of the driver seated in theinterior cabin of the host vehicle and generally away from the side ofthe vehicle so as to be viewable by the driver or occupant of a vehiclethat is overtaking the host vehicle. The indicator mounting portion 124b thus directs illumination away from the driver of the vehicle so thatthe iconistic portions 136 b and display area 128 b may display a turnsignal icon or the like for viewing by drivers of other vehicles.

The back plate 120 and indicator mounting portions 124 a, 124 b andindicators 126 a, 126 b and mirror reflector sub-assembly 112 may beotherwise substantially similar to the back plates and indicatormounting portions and indicators and mirror reflector sub-assembliesdescribed above, such that a detailed discussion of the mirror reflectorsub-assemblies will not be repeated herein. The indicator mountingportions or extensions may be arranged side-by-side one another (such asshown in FIG. 5) or may be vertically staggered or offset or otherwiseoriented or arranged at the back plate to position the indicator at thedesired location and to direct the illumination at the desired anglethrough the respective iconistic portions and display areas establishedor defined at the reflective element.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 6, a mirror reflectorsub-assembly 212 includes a back plate 220 that is molded or formed withthree hollow indicator mounting portions 224 a, 224 b, 224 c andassociated or respective illumination sources or LEDs 226. The indicatormounting portions 224 a, 224 b, 224 c may be generally aligned withrespective indicia portions 236 a, 236 b, 236 c established in anopacifying element or layer or coating or film 236 sandwiched betweenthe mirror reflector carrier or back plate 220 and the rear surface ofthe rear substrate 230 of the reflective element 218 (although not shownin FIG. 6, the mirror reflector sub-assembly may also include a heaterpad as described above, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention). In the illustrated embodiment, one of the indicators 226 aand indicator mounting portions 224 a function as an object/LCAindicator and direct the principle beam axis 227 a toward the driver ofthe host vehicle, while two of the indicators 226 b, 226 c and indicatormounting portions 224 b, 224 c function as turn signal indicators (orother indicators for indicating information to drivers of othervehicles, such as brake light indicators or hazard indicators or thelike) and direct the principle beam axes 227 b, 227 c away from the hostvehicle for viewing by the drivers of other vehicles alongside orovertaking the host vehicle. Optionally, the indicator mounting portionor tube 224 a, or another similarly angled indicator mounting portion ortube, may be angled so as to direct the principle beam axis or axestoward the host vehicle for conveying other vehicle information to thedriver of the host vehicle.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 7, a mirror reflectorsub-assembly 312 includes a hollow indicator mounting portion or tube orextension 324 that may be attached to (such as by adhering or the like)the rear surface 330 b of a rear substrate 330 of a reflective element318. The indicator mounting portion 324 may be positioned at andattached to a mask 337 disposed at the rear surface 330 b of rearsubstrate 330 and between the indicator mounting portion 324 and therear surface 330 b. The indicator mounting portion 324 comprises ahollow tube molded from a dark (such as black or dark blue or the like)plastic material, and receives or attaches to an indicator 326 at itsend opposite the reflective element 318, so that illumination or lightfrom the indicator 326 passes through a passageway 324 a of indicatormounting portion 324, such as in a similar manner as described above.The mask 337 has indicia or icons 337 a established therethrough so thatillumination passing through the passageway of the indicator mountingportion passes through the holes or apertures formed in the mask so thatthe desired indicia or icon or symbol is viewable by a person viewingthe reflective element.

The rear substrate 330 of reflective element 318 includes a metallicreflector or reflective coating or layer 331 disposed on its forward orthird surface 330 a, and further includes an electrochromic medium 334(and perimeter seal 335) sandwiched between the metallic reflector 331at the rear substrate 330 and a transparent conductive coating or layer333 at a rear surface 332 a of a front substrate 332. In the illustratedembodiment, the metallic reflective coating 331 is substantiallyreflective and may not comprise a transflective coating or layer. Thus,an aperture or hole 331 a is formed or established through the metallicreflective coating or layer 331 and generally at or near the location atwhich the indicator mounting portion 324 and mask 337 are positioned ormounted. In such an embodiment, the reflective element 318 may notinclude an opacifying layer, whereby a separate mask may be disposed atthe rear surface of the rear substrate to establish the icons or indiciafor the indicator device.

Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 8, a mirror reflector sub-assembly 312′includes an indicator mounting portion or hollow tube 324′ and indicator326′ located at or attached or adhered to an opacifying layer 336′disposed at the rear surface 330 a′ of a rear substrate 330′ of areflective element 318′, where the blind spot alert icon or indicia 336a′ is established through the opacifying layer 336′, such as in asimilar manner as described above. In the illustrated embodiment, therear substrate 330′ includes a non-dichroic transflector ortransflective coating or layer 331′ disposed on its forward or thirdsurface 330 a′, and further includes an electrochromic medium 334 (andperimeter seal 335) sandwiched between the transflector 331′ and atransparent conductive coating or layer 333 at a rear surface 332 a of afront substrate 332. In the illustrated embodiment, the transflectivecoating 331′ is at least partially transmitting, and thus does notrequire an aperture or hole formed or established therethrough. Theindicator mounting portion 324′ comprises a hollow tube molded from adark (such as black or dark blue or the like) plastic material, andreceives or attaches to indicator 326′ at its end opposite thereflective element 318′, so that illumination or light from theindicator 326′ passes through a passageway 324 a′ of indicator mountingportion, such as in a similar manner as described above. The opacifyinglayer 336′ has indicia or icons 336 a′ established therethrough so thatillumination passing through the passageway of the indicator mountingportion passes through the holes or apertures formed in the mask andpasses through the reflective element so that the desired indicia oricon or symbol is viewable by a person viewing the reflective element.

The indicator mounting portions 324, 324′ may be formed at the desiredangle and may be adhered to or otherwise attached to the mask or theopacifying layer or the rear surface of the rear substrate or the like,whereby illumination from the associated indicator is guided in thedesired or appropriate direction (such as generally toward the driver ofthe host vehicle for a blind spot alert indicator or generally away fromthe driver of the host vehicle for a turn signal indicator or the like)in a similar manner as described above. The plastic tube or tubes orindicator mounting portion/portions may be similar to the indicatormounting portions of the back plates discussed above, and may includelight absorbing or substantially light absorbing means on or in orthrough or partially through the inner surface of the passageway definedalong the tube, such that principally only light rays that passsubstantially through the full length of the inner passageway exit theend of the light emitting passageway, whereby the light emitted by thelight emitting source is mainly visible only by viewing axially along orsubstantially along the line of direction of the passageway. Optionally,the indicator mounting portions and indicators may be provided as anindicator module that is readily attached to the rear of the reflectiveelement and electrically connected to the appropriate circuitry or wiresof the mirror assembly.

The reflective elements 318, 318′ may be otherwise substantially similarto the reflective elements described above, such that a detaileddiscussion of the reflective elements will not be repeated herein. Theangle and direction of the indicator mounting portions may be selecteddepending on the particular associated display indicia or icons and onthe particular mirror application. The reflector carrier or back plate(not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8) of the mirror reflector sub-assemblies mayhave an aperture or opening therethrough for at least partiallyreceiving the indicator mounting portion or portions or hollow tube ortubes therethrough when the back plate is attached to the rear surfaceof the reflective element, whereby the hollow tube or tubes (andassociated indicator or indicators) may protrude at least partiallythrough the back plate when the mirror reflector sub-assembly isassembled. Optionally, the icons or displays of the mirror reflectorsub-assemblies described herein may be established utilizing aspects ofthe icons or symbols or indicia described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 asU.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2006/018567, filed May 15, 2006 and published Nov. 23, 2006 asInternational Publication No. WO 2006/124682, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the mirror reflector sub-assembly may include masks orbaffles or light direction means or occluding means or directionalfiltering, such as louvers or shutters or filters or light directingfilm or the like, at the rear of the reflective element (such as betweenthe back plate and the iconistic portions) for further directing orguiding the illumination from the illumination source at the desiredangle and through the reflective element so as to be principally orsolely viewable by the driver of the host vehicle (for blind spot/LCAapplications) or so as to be principally or solely viewable by others atthe side or rear of the vehicle (for turn signal applications).

Therefore, the present invention provides a back plate that includes oneor more indicator mounting portions or display receiving portionsintegrally formed therewith, so that the display element or device maybe readily assembled to the mirror reflector sub-assembly via attachmentor adherence of the back plate to the mirror reflective element. Thepresent invention thus provides a display element or device that isreadily assembled to a mirror reflector sub-assembly, and thusfacilitates assembly of the mirror reflector sub-assembly at a facilityremote from the mirror assembly facility, such that the mirror reflectorsub-assembly (including the back plate and indicator mounting portion)may be provided or supplied to the mirror manufacturer as a unit. Themirror manufacturer then may install or attach the indicator orindicator module to the indicator mounting or receiving portion (or mayelectrically connect an already installed indicator to a wire or lead ofthe mirror assembly), and may attach the mirror reflector sub-assemblyto the mirror actuator. The present invention thus provides enhancedassembly processing of the mirror assembly, while taking advantage ofthe otherwise typically unused space within the casing and behind theback plate of the exterior rearview mirror assembly.

Although shown and described as being located at a driver side exteriormirror, the blind spot/LCA/turn signal indicator of the presentinvention may also or otherwise be located at the passenger sideexterior mirror, if desired. Optionally, a blind spot indicator inaccordance with the present invention may be located at both the driverside mirror assembly and the passenger side mirror assembly of the hostvehicle. The indicator at either side may be selectively activated orilluminated to indicate to the driver of the host vehicle that an objector other vehicle has been detected at that particular side lane regionof the host vehicle. Optionally, the blind spot indicator may beassociated with a blind spot detection and indication system thatincludes one or more indicators at the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the host vehicle. The blind spot indicators may utilize aspects ofthe blind spot indicators and/or blind spot detection systems describedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,198,409; 5,929,786; and 5,786,772, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2006/026148, filed Jul. 5, 2006 and published Jan.11, 2007 as International Publication No. WO 2007/005942, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Such an indicator or indicators may function as a lane change assist(LCA) indicator or indicators and/or a blind spot indicator orindicators. Such blind spot indicators are typically activated when anobject is detected (via a side object or blind spot detection system orthe like such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,038,577; 6,882,287;6,198,409; 5,929,786 and 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/315,675, filed Dec. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,720,580; and/orPCT Application No. PCT/US2006/026148, filed Jul. 5, 2006 and publishedJan. 11, 2007 as International Publication No. WO 2007/005942, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties) at the sideand/or rear of the vehicle (at the blind spot) and when the turn signalis also activated, so as to provide an alert to the driver of the hostvehicle that there is an object or vehicle in the lane next to the hostvehicle at a time when the driver of the host vehicle intends to moveover into the adjacent lane. Optionally, and alternately, the indicatoror indicators may function as a lane change assist indicator orindicators, where the host vehicle may be detected to be moving into anadjacent lane without the turn signal being activated, and an object orvehicle may be detected at the adjacent lane, whereby the LCA indicatoror indicators may be activated to provide an alert to the driver of thelane change to assist the driver in avoiding unintentional lane changesand/or lane changes when a vehicle or object is detected in the adjacentlane.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, a mirror reflectorsub-assembly 412 includes a mirror reflective element 418 and a mirrorreflector carrier or back plate 420 attached to or mounted to or adheredto a rear surface 418 a of mirror reflective element 418. The mirrorreflector sub-assembly 412 includes a display device or display element422 that is operable to provide a display or indication at thereflective element for viewing the display or indication through themirror reflective element when the display device is electricallyactuated. Display element 422 includes a light source 434, which isdisposed at a display portion or a display mounting or attaching portionor display receiving portion or structure 430 (such as a corner portionor region, such as an upper outside/far quadrant or corner portion orregion that is outboard of and separate from the reflective element sothat light emitted by the light source or sources of the display elementdoes not impinge on or pass through any portion of the reflectiveelement 418, and is desirably at the outer or far side of the reflectiveelement and away from the vehicle at which the mirror assembly ismounted) of the back plate 420 and is located at a perimeter region ofthe reflective element sub-assembly so as to be operable to emit lightoutside of the perimeter of the reflective element 418 and not throughthe reflective element 418, such as discussed below. Since the backplate itself is mounted on the mirror actuator, the back plate,reflective element and display element move in tandem when the mirroractuator is actuated to adjust the rearward field of view as reflectedby the mirror reflective element.

Back plate 420 is molded or formed, such as by injection molding, so asto provide the display receiving portion 430 and a generally planarbacking portion 420 a that attaches to the rear surface 418 a of thereflective element 418 (such as via adhesive or other suitableattachment means). Preferably, back plate 420, including displayreceiving portion 430, is molded of a substantially dark or opaque orblack material, such as from an ABS or polycarbonate polymeric resinmaterial or from any other suitable material such as known in theexterior rearview mirror art, so as to be substantially opaque such thatlight does not pass through the opaque back plate and display receivingportion. An attachment element or elements 420 b may be formed orestablished at the rear of the backing portion 420 a for attaching theback plate 420 and reflective element to a mirror actuator, such as amirror actuator as known in the art and/or as described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,080,914; 7,073,914; 6,916,100; 6,755,544; 6,685,864; 6,467,920;6,362,548; 6,243,218; 6,229,226; 6,213,612; 5,986,364 and 5,900,999,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference herein in theirentireties.

Optionally, a heater pad 437 may be provided at the rear surface 418 aof the reflective element 418 and between the backing portion 420 a ofback plate 420 and the reflective element 418 to provide an anti-foggingof de-fogging feature to the exterior mirror assembly (such as byutilizing aspects of the heater elements or pads described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/334,139, filed Jan. 18, 2006, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,400,435, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety). The back plate and/or heater pad may include suitableelectrical connectors and connections incorporated therein (such as byutilizing aspects of the mirror assembly described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/334,139, filed Jan. 18, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No.7,400,435, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety) for electrically connecting the heater pad and/or displayelement (or other suitable electrical connectors may be utilized, suchas electrical leads or wire harnesses or pigtails or other separateconnectors or cables or the like).

Back plate 420 may include a perimeter framing portion or bezel portion420 c that extends around the perimeter edges of the reflective element418 to support the reflective element and frame the reflective elementat the mirror assembly. The perimeter bezel portion may be narrow orsmall depending on the particular application of the reflective elementand mirror reflector sub-assembly. Optionally, the mirror reflectorsub-assembly may comprise a bezelless or frameless reflective element(such as the types described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0061008; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,190; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23,2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2006/018567, filed May 15, 2006 and published Nov. 23, 2006 asInternational Publication No. WO 2006/124682, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties), whereby the backplate may not include a perimeter framing portion or bezel portionaround the perimeter of the reflective element.

Optionally, and as shown in phantom in FIG. 10, the bezel portion 420 cmay include a lip or tab or shelf 420 d at a portion thereof. The lip420 d protrudes forward of the bezel portion and over a portion of aforward surface of the reflective element when the reflective element isattached to the back plate. Thus, the reflective element and heater padmay be inserted or loaded into the back plate by inserting a perimeterregion of the reflective element into the back plate and under or behindthe tab 420 d and pivoting the reflective element into position wherebythe reflective element is at least partially recessed within the frameor bezel portion of the back plate.

In the illustrated embodiment, display receiving portion 430 of backplate 420 is formed or established or disposed at the outer and uppercorner of the reflective element sub-assembly 412 so as to be readilyviewable by drivers of other vehicles at the side of or rearward of thehost vehicle, while not unduly interfering with the primary rearwardfield of view of the driver of the host vehicle via the mirror reflectorof the mirror reflective element. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, displayreceiving portion 430 may be received at a corner region or cut-outregion of the reflective element 418 so as to be viewable outside of thereflective element and not through the reflective element. The size andshape of the display receiving portion and display area may be selecteddepending on the particular application of the mirror reflectorsub-assembly, and may be nested in a corner region of the mirrorreflective element (or could be located along a side region, such as theouter or inner side region of the reflective element, or an upper orlower region of the reflective element), and may be formed to have areduced or minimum size or footprint at the perimeter or corner of thereflective element.

Thus, because the display element is separate from the reflectiveelement and does not project or emit light through the reflectiveelement (so that light emitted by the light source and emanating fromthe display element does not pass through the reflective element beforeexiting the mirror sub-assembly), the mirror reflector manufacturer doesnot have to specially modify the mirror reflector of the reflectiveelement, such as by creating apertures or windows in the reflectivecoating or reflector or by making the reflector a transflective ortransreflective mirror reflector. Thus, the mirror reflector maycomprise a mirror reflector that does not require any etching or removalof the reflector coating and does not require any special coatings thatmay provide a transmissive function as well as a reflective function.Such a mirror assembly and display is thus in stark contrast to knownmirror assemblies with through-the-glass displays such as the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,788,357 and 6,700,692, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

As shown in FIG. 10, a rear surface 430 a of display receiving portion430 may be angled or canted or slanted and may receive or supportdisplay element 422 thereat. For example, rear surface 430 a may receiveand support a circuit board or circuit element 432 (such as a printedcircuit board or the like) thereat or thereon, while a front surface 430b of display receiving portion 430 may be generally flush with the frontor outer surface 418 b of the reflective element 418 (the surface thatfaces rearward when the mirror assembly is mounted at the vehicle).Circuit element 432 is thus located at the rear surface 430 a of displayreceiving portion 430 and includes or supports one or more illuminationsources or light sources or indicators 434 (preferably light emittingdiodes (LEDs) or the like, which emit or project light through displayreceiving portion 430, such as via one or more passageways 430 c formedor established through display receiving portion 430. The LEDs 434 maybe received at a recess or rearward end of the passageways 430 c so thatlight emitted by the LEDs 434 is directed along the passageways 430 cand through the display receiving portion 430 and not through thereflective element 418.

In the illustrated embodiment, the passageways 430 c are angled throughdisplay receiving portion 430 and are generally normal to circuitelement 432. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the passageways 430 c are angledoutward and away from the reflective element and thus away from the hostvehicle and away from the driver of the host vehicle. The illuminationsources or LEDs 434 are located at circuit element 432 and at or nearthe end of passageways 430 c so that light 434 a emitted by LEDs 434 isemitted through passageways 430 c and away from the view of the driverof the host vehicle sitting in the vehicle cabin. The angle of the rearsurface and/or the passageways may be selected to provide the desiredangle of the light path as the light exits the display receivingportion, depending on the particular application of the display deviceand reflective element sub-assembly. The passageways or slots may beestablished to provide the desired indicator form or shape, such as achevron shape or arrowhead shape or other suitable shape or form (suchas five or seven individual segments or indicating elements (or more orless) that are configured and/or arranged to form the selected icon orchevron shape or arrow shape or the like), and may be readily viewableand discernible and recognizable when the indicators or LEDs areactivated. Because the back plate 420 and display receiving portion 430of back plate 420 are substantially opaque, the passageways andindicators are not readily viewable and discernible when the indicatorsor LEDs are deactivated.

Although shown and described as having hollow passageways, it isenvisioned that the display receiving portion may include tubes or pipesthrough the display portion, whereby light emitted by the light sourcespasses through the tubes or pipes disposed at or in or through thedisplay receiving portion. Also, although shown and described as havinghollow passageways, it is envisioned that the display receiving portionmay be filled with a transparent light conducting material or opticalplastic, such as polycarbonate or acrylic or acrylate or polystyrene orCOC olefin or the like, or other suitable optical medium, such as viaco-injection molding of such materials, whereby light emitted by thelight sources passes through the optical medium of the display receivingportion. The light conducting passageways or light pipes or light tubesor light conducting material may be configured to provide the desired orappropriate icon or display, and may provide a solid arrow display (orother suitable solid shape) or may provide a series of individual holesor apertures or pipes or tubes or the like that combine to form an arrow(or other suitable shape), while remaining within the spirit and scopeof the present invention. It is further envisioned that if thepassageways are filled or partially filled with a light conductingmaterial or other optical medium, the passageways would not be open atthe exterior end of the passageways and thus, the light conductingmaterial would limit or substantially preclude dirt or debris or wateror other environmental elements from entering or blocking thepassageways, whereby a cover plate (discussed below) may not be neededat the outer surface of the display element.

Thus, the back plate of the mirror sub-assembly may be molded or formedto include the display portion at its upper far corner or quadrant (orelsewhere as desired) so that the display receiving portion is outsideof the glass or reflective element and thus does not provide a“through-the-glass” turn signal indicator (such as the through-the-glasstypes of indicators described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,788,357 and 6,700,692,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties).The molded display receiving portion is angled with correspondinglyangled holes or passageways or slots that form or establish the desiredshape of the indicator. Optionally, the display element or device mayinclude a light directing film and/or a polarizing film to direct/modifythe light emitted by the LEDs along the passageways or slots through thedisplay receiving portion of the back plate, such as by utilizingaspects of the display devices described in U.S. provisionalapplications Ser. No. 60/732,245, filed Nov. 1, 2005; Ser. No.60/759,992, filed Jan. 18, 2006; and Ser. No. 60/836,219, filed Aug. 8,2006; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19,2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177; and/or Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2006/018567, filed May15, 2006 and published Nov. 23, 2006 as International Publication No. WO2006/124682; and/or U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,312, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display element (preferably comprising a stand-aloneunitary module that is substantially sealed so as to be substantiallyimpervious to water ingress or to debris ingress, and most preferablywith electrical connectors (such as a plug or socket connector)established or incorporated therein or with a lead or wire harness (suchas a flying lead or pigtail) established or incorporated therein),including the light source and circuitry, may be supplied or provided toan assembly facility (such as a mirror assembly facility or the like)from a display element supplier, while the back plate may be molded andsupplied or provided to the assembly facility from a back platesupplier. An operator at the assembly facility may attach the displaydevice and/or circuitry to the back plate (such as to the rear surfaceof the display receiving portion of the back plate), preferably bysnapping the display device or module to snaps or clips or clasps orfingers or the like molded into the back plate (at its display elementreceiving portion) to assemble the display or indicator to the backplate. Optionally, and desirably, the display receiving portion of theback plate and/or the display element (such as at the circuit element orcircuit board) may have attaching elements or snaps or clips or prongsto ease the assembly and securement of the display element to thedisplay receiving portion of the back plate so that an operator mayattach the display element to the back plate via a snap connection orattachment.

Optionally, and desirably, electrical connection (such as to a powersupply or 12 volt power wire of the vehicle battery/ignition system orto a power feed from a LIN bus controller) to the display circuitry maybe made when the display element is snapped or otherwise attached(preferably mechanically but optionally adhesively) to the back plate,such as by making electrical contact between the display element andmirror circuitry (including circuitry associated with the reflectiveelement and/or mirror assembly, such as electrochromic mirror circuitry,mirror lights and/or display circuitry and the like, typically disposedat a printed circuit board of the mirror assembly) when the displayelement is snapped to the back plate, such as via pressed contact orconnection between respective electrical terminals or contacts of thedisplay element and mirror circuitry as the display element is pressedor snapped or received to the display receiving portion of the backplate, such as by press attaching the display element or module intoreceiving fingers or clips or snaps or the like that are integrallyformed with the display receiving portion of the back plate in theinjection molding operation that manufactures or forms the back plateitself. For example, electrical terminals or contacts may be insertmolded in the display receiving portion so as to be exposed at (orotherwise located at) the rear surface of the display receiving portionfor electrical connection to the display element when the displayelement is attached or snapped to the display receiving portion of theback plate. Alternately, electrical connection to the display device maybe made via other means, such as wires or leads or flying leads or wireharnesses or the like such as pigtails or other suitable connectors orleads, and before or after the display device is snapped or otherwiseattached to the back plate, while remaining within the spirit and scopeof the present invention.

Thus, a method of assembling such a mirror reflective elementsub-assembly may include molding the back plate having a displayreceiving portion and providing the back plate and reflective element toan assembly facility, while also providing a display element or moduleat the assembly facility. Preferably, the display element and the backplate are supplied or provided to the assembly facility from differentsources. An operator at the assembly facility takes a back plate and adisplay element and snaps the display element to the rear surface of thedisplay receiving portion of the back plate to attach and secure thedisplay element at the display receiving portion. The operator alsomakes the electrical connection between circuitry or wiring of themirror assembly or sub-assembly and the display element, either as thedisplay element is snapped to the display receiving portion of the backplate (such as via contacts at the display element and display receivingportion of the back plate) or at a separate time from the attachment ofthe display element to the back plate (such as via separate connectorsat or extending from the display element). Optionally, electricalconnection to the display element may be made during assembly of thereflective element sub-assembly to the mirror casing of the mirrorassembly (such as via connectors or leads or pigtails extending from thedisplay element).

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, a display element ordevice 422′ of a mirror reflective element sub-assembly 412′ is operableto provide a display or indication at the reflective element for viewingthe display or indication through the mirror reflective element. Displaydevice 422′ is disposed at a display receiving portion 430′ (such as acorner portion or region, such as an upper outside/far quadrant orcorner portion or region that is at the outer side of the reflectiveelement and away from the vehicle at which the mirror assembly ismounted) of the back plate 420′ and is located at a perimeter region ofthe reflective element sub-assembly so as to be operable to emit lightoutside of the perimeter of the reflective element 418′ and not throughthe reflective element 418′, such as in a similar manner as describedabove.

As shown in FIG. 12, display device 422′ includes a light control film436′ established or disposed between the rear surface 430 a′ of displayreceiving portion 430′ and the LEDs 434′ and circuit element 432′. Forexample, the light control film 436′ may be disposed or adheredotherwise attached at the rear surface 430 a′ so that light 434 a′ thatis emitted by LEDs 434′ is directed through the light control film 436′and through the passageways 430 c′ established through display receivingportion 430′. Light control film 436′ may comprise any suitable film andmay function as microlouvers, so as to preferentially direct light thatis received from one angle whereby the light is redirected or controlledto another direction (such as the films of the types described in PCTApplication No. PCT/US2006/018567, filed May 15, 2006 and published onNov. 23, 2006 as International Publication No. WO 2006/124682, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). An example ofa suitable light control film or material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,481,409 (which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety), and may comprise a light control film manufactured by the 3MCompany of Minn., such as the light control film commercially availableunder the trade name LCF-P (light control film-polycarbonate).

Such a film comprises a thin plastic film enclosing a plurality ofclosely spaced, light black colored microlouvers. A preferred lightcontrol film is approximately 0.75 mm thick or thereabouts, and theangled microlouvers are spaced approximately 0.127 mm apart. Themicrolouvers may be in various angular positions to provide a particularviewing angle, such as from as narrow as about a 48 degree angle to aswide as about a 90 degree angle, depending on the desired angle of themicrolouvers for the particular application for angling/directing thelight in a desired or appropriate direction or angle. Thus, the lightcontrol film controls or directs the light 434 a′ emitted by theillumination sources or LEDs 434′ along a desired or appropriate orpredetermined angle with respect to front surface 430 b′ of displayreceiving portion 430′ and the mirror substrate or reflective element418′, and helps assure that the driver of the host vehicle is largelyunaware or not bothered by actuation of the turn signal indicating lightsources.

The likes of a 3M Light Control Film comprises a thin plastic filmcontaining closely spaced dark or black or light absorbing microlouvers.When used as described herein, the film simulates a tiny Venetian blind,wherein the microlouvers allow for controlled transmission of the lightemitted by the indicator light sources (that are disposed behind thetransflective mirror element) along the axis of the microlouvers so thatthe light is seen by drivers overtaking the host vehicle in a side-laneblind spot area but the line of sight from the driver of the hostvehicle to the turn signal indicator's emitted light beam issubstantially blocked by the microlouvers. Examples of light directingor regulating filters or baffle assemblies can be found in U.S. Pat.Nos. 4,906,085 and 5,313,335, the entire disclosures of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein.

Optionally, and typically, the light control film may have itsmicrolouvers at an angle of about zero degrees (i.e., generallyperpendicular to the plane of the light control film) so as to directthe principle beam axis of the light emitted by the illumination sourcesat the desired or appropriate angle established by the angling of therear surface of the display receiving portion relative to its frontsurface and so as to have the light beam emitted by the light sourcespass through the display receiving portion to exit at the desired or setor selected angle. Placement of the light control film on the angledrear surface of the display receiving portion is advantageous when thelight control film (such as 3M's Vikuiti™ ALCF-P or LCF-P) is used wherethe louver angle is zero degrees and where on-axis vertically incidentlight from the light sources is highly transmitted but where off-axislight is cut-off by the embedded microlouvers. Such zero degree louveredlight control film is used for privacy filters for laptop computerscreens and ATM screens, and so is economically available. By being ableto purchase and use zero angle louvered light control film, and by usingthe likes of an angled rear surface (pre-established via molding of themirror back plate at its display receiving portion) to support the lightcontrol film at an angle in front of the light sources that aresimilarly angled and supported, economical assembly can be enhanced.Optionally, and alternatively, a mechanical support to mutually supportand angle the light control film/light sources relative to the plane ofthe rear of the mirror reflective element may be used so that lightemitted by the light sources is generally aligned with or on-axis withthe light transmission axis between the louvers, and so that the lightbeam passed through the light control film has its principal beam axisdirected in the desired or appropriate direction, such as in a directiongenerally away (for a turn signal indicator) from the vehicle body sideand away from direct view by a driver of the host vehicle to which theexterior mirror reflective element is attached, or such as in adirection generally toward (for a blind spot indicator) the vehicle bodyside for direct viewing by the driver of the host vehicle and away fromdirect view by a driver of another vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 12, display device 422′ further includes a lighttransmitting lens cover or cover element 438′ that covers andsubstantially seals the passageways 430 c′ at the front surface 430 b′of display receiving portion 430′ to limit or substantially precludedirt, debris, water and other elements and/or contaminants from beingreceived at the outer ends of the passageways so as to keep thepassageways clear and to protect and seal the electronic circuitry atthe rear of the display portion. Cover element 438′ may comprise asubstantially transparent or clear cover element or may be tinted (suchas red-tinted or amber-tinted) to provide a desired or appropriate coloror tint to the light passing therethrough. Optionally, one or morediffusers or diffusing elements may be incorporated in the cover elementor incorporated into the indicator or light module so as to provide acovered and/or tinted and/or diffused display at the mirrorsub-assembly.

As can be seen with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, cover element 438′ maycomprise a desired shape or form, such as a triangular form or shape orarrow shape or the like, while the LEDs 434′ and passageways 430 c′ mayfunction to illuminate the cover element 438′. Optionally, the coverelement 438′ may comprise an optical lens element with light directingproperties configured to direct the light passing therethrough away fromor further away from the body-side of the host vehicle so as to begenerally not viewable by the driver of the host vehicle. Optionally,cover element 438′ may be countersunk or received in a recess 430 d′formed or established at the front surface 430 b′ of display portion430′ (for example the cover element may be molded or snapped into therecess). The display device thus is substantially water sealed andsubstantially water impervious and substantially impervious to dirt anddebris and other environmental elements that the reflective elementsub-assembly may typically encounter. Thus, the display device and backplate may be provided as a self-contained sealed module (or may bereadily assembled to form a self-contained sealed module), and may haveelectrical connectors for electrically connecting the module toelectrical connectors of the mirror assembly and/or of a vehicle wireharness or the like.

Thus, the back plate may be readily molded or formed with holes orapertures or passageways through its display receiving portion, and acover element may be attached at the outer surface of the displayreceiving portion to substantially seal the passageways to limit orsubstantially preclude water intrusion and/or dirt or debris intrusioninto the passageways. The snapping of the cover element at the displayreceiving portion thus forms a substantially tight fit over thepassageways to substantially seal the passageways. Optionally, the coverelement may partially plug or fill the passageways in a sealing manner(and/or a separate sealing material or element may be disposed betweenthe cover and the display receiving portion to partially plug or fillthe passageways), while providing for light transmission through thepassageways and through the cover element. Preferably, the cover elementmay snap or otherwise mechanically attach to the display receivingportion to substantially seal the passageways as the mirror sub-assemblyis formed and/or assembled.

The angle of the rear surface 430 a′ of display portion and/or of thepassageways 430 c′, and of the microlouvers or other optical guidingelements, may be selected to provide the desired angle of the light pathas the light exits the display portion and passes through the coverelement 438′, depending on the particular application of the displaydevice and mirror reflective element sub-assembly. Mirror reflectiveelement sub-assembly 412′ may otherwise be substantially similar asmirror reflective element sub-assembly 412 described above, such that adetailed discussion of the mirror reflective element sub-assemblies neednot be repeated herein. The common or substantially similar componentsof the sub-assemblies not specifically discussed with respect to FIGS.11 and 12 are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 with the same reference numbersas used in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, a display element ordevice 422″ of a mirror reflective element sub-assembly 412″ is operableto provide a display or indication at the reflective element for viewingthe display or indication through the mirror reflective element. Displaydevice 422″ is disposed at a display receiving portion 430″ (such as acorner portion or region, such as an upper outside/far quadrant orcorner portion or region that is at the outer side of the reflectiveelement and away from the vehicle at which the mirror assembly ismounted) of the back plate 420″ and is located at a perimeter region ofthe reflective element sub-assembly so as to be operable to emit lightoutside of the perimeter of the reflective element 418″ and not throughthe reflective element 418″, such as in a similar manner as describedabove.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14, display receivingportion 430″ has a rear surface 430 a″ that is generally parallel tofront surface 430 b″ and to the front surface of the reflective element418″. Display receiving portion 430″ includes one or more curvedpassageways 430 c″ established therethrough for guiding and directinglight emitted by illumination sources or LEDs 434″ so that the emittedlight 434 a″ is directed outward and away from the body side of the hostvehicle. The circuitry element 432″ and LEDs 434″ may be located orestablished at the rear surface of the display receiving portion in asimilar manner as described above with respect to display device 422, oroptionally may include a light control film such as described above withrespect to display device 422′, while remaining within the spirit andscope of the present invention. Further, the display device may includea light transmitting lens cover or cover element 438″ at a front surface430 b″ of display receiving portion 430″, such as a cover element thatsubstantially covers and seals the front surface of the displayreceiving portion and the passageways, such as in a similar manner asdescribed above with respect to display device 422′.

Thus, the curved passageways 430 c″ of opaque display receiving portion430″ function to curve or direct the light 434 a″ emitted by the LEDs434″ in the desired or appropriate direction as the light passes throughthe cover element 438″, so that the light 434 a″ is directed generallyaway from the body side of the host vehicle and is not readily viewableby the driver of the host vehicle. The LEDs 434″ and circuit element432″ thus may be located at a flat or non-angled or non-canted rearsurface 430 a″ of display receiving portion 430″, whereby the curvedpassageways 430 c″ provide the desired guidance and directing of thelight emitted by the LEDs 434″. The angle of curvature of thepassageways may be selected to provide the desired angle of the lightpath as the light exits the display portion and passes through the coverelement 438″. Mirror reflective element sub-assembly 412″ may otherwisebe substantially similar as mirror reflective element sub-assembly 412or 412′ described above, such that a detailed discussion of the mirrorreflective element sub-assemblies need not be repeated herein. Thecommon or substantially similar components of the sub-assemblies notspecifically discussed with respect to FIGS. 13 and 14 are shown inFIGS. 13 and 14 with the same reference numbers as used in FIGS. 9 and10.

In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 9-14, the mirror sub-assemblyincludes a display device for a turn signal indicator (with the lightbeam projected by or emanating from the display device being directedaway from the vehicle as it exits the mirror element sub-assembly andaway from direct view of the driver of the host vehicle so that thedriver is not unduly bothered by glare from the light sources at night),but the mirror sub-assembly could also or otherwise include a displaydevice for a blind spot detection system or LCA system (where thepassageways may be angled to emit light generally toward the vehicle soas to be readily viewable by the driver of the host vehicle so thedriver principally sees the light emanating from the indicator while thelight is not directly viewed by drivers of other vehicles). Optionally,the mirror assembly could include two display devices for providing botha display for a blind spot/LCA indicator and a display for a turn signalindicator, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

For example, and with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16, a mirror reflectiveelement sub-assembly 512 includes a mirror reflective element 518 and amirror reflector carrier or back plate 520 attached to or mounted to oradhered to a rear surface 518 a of mirror reflective element 518. Themirror reflector sub-assembly 512 includes a display element or deviceor blind spot indicating device 522 that is operable to provide adisplay or indication at the reflective element for viewing the displayor indication through the mirror reflective element, such as in asimilar manner as described above. Display element or device 522 isdisposed at a display receiving portion 530 (such as a corner portion orregion, such as a lower inside/near quadrant or corner portion or regionthat is at the inner side of the reflective element and toward the bodyside of the host vehicle at which the mirror assembly is mounted) of theback plate 520 and is located at a perimeter region of the reflectiveelement sub-assembly so as to be operable to emit light outside of theperimeter of the reflective element 518 and not through the reflectiveelement 518.

Back plate 520 is molded or formed so as to provide the displayreceiving portion 530 and a generally planar backing portion 520 a thatattaches to the rear surface of the reflective element (such as viaadhesive or other suitable attachment means). Preferably, back plate520, including display receiving portion 530, is molded of asubstantially dark or opaque or black material so as to be substantiallyopaque such that light does not pass through the opaque back plate anddisplay portion. An attachment element or elements 520 b may be formedor established at the rear of the backing portion 520 a for attachingthe back plate 520 and reflective element to a mirror actuator, such asa mirror actuator as known in the art and/or as described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,080,914; 7,073,914; 6,916,100; 6,755,544; 6,685,864; 6,467,920;6,362,548; 6,243,218; 6,229,226; 6,213,612; 5,986,364 and 5,900,999,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference herein in theirentireties.

Optionally, a heater pad 537 may be provided at the rear surface 518 aof the reflective element 518 and between the backing portion 520 a ofback plate 520 and the reflective element to provide an anti-fogging ofde-fogging feature to the exterior mirror assembly (such as by utilizingaspects of the heater elements or pads described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/334,139, filed Jan. 18, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No.7,400,435, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety). Back plate 520 may include a perimeter framing portion orbezel portion 520 c that extends around the perimeter edges of thereflective element 518 to support the reflective element and frame thereflective element at the mirror assembly.

Display receiving portion 530 of back plate 520 is formed or establishedat the inner and lower corner or quadrant of the reflective elementsub-assembly 512 so as to be readily viewable by the driver of the hostvehicle. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, display receiving portion 530 maybe received at a corner region or cut-out region of the reflectiveelement 518 so as to be viewable outside of the reflective element andnot through the reflective element. As shown in FIG. 16, a rear surface530 a of display receiving portion 530 may be angled or canted orslanted and may receive or support a circuit board or element 532thereat or thereon, while a front surface 530 b may be generally flushwith the front or outer surface 518 b of the reflective element (thesurface that faces rearward when the mirror assembly is mounted at thevehicle). Circuit element 532 includes one or more illumination sourcesor LEDs 534 that emit light along and through passageways 530 cestablished through display receiving portion 530, such as in a similarmanner as described above.

As shown in FIG. 16, display element or device 522 includes a lightcontrol film 536 (such as a light control film of the types describedabove with respect to display element 422′) established or disposedbetween the rear surface 530 a of display receiving portion 530 and theLEDs 534 and circuit element 532. For example, the light control film536 may be disposed or adhered otherwise attached at the rear surface530 a so that light 534 a that is emitted by LEDs 534 is directedthrough the light control film 536 and through the passageways 530 cestablished through display receiving portion 530. Light control film536 may comprise any suitable film and may function as microlouvers, soas to preferentially direct light that is received from one anglewhereby the light is redirected or controlled to another direction (suchas the films of the types described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2006/018567, filed May 15, 2006 and published Nov. 23, 2006 asInternational Publication No. WO 2006/124682, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety). An example of asuitable light control film or material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,481,409 (which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety), and may comprise a light control film manufactured by the 3MCompany of Minn., such as the light control film commercially availableunder the trade name LCF-P (light control film-polycarbonate), such asdiscussed above.

Further, display device 522 includes a light transmitting lens cover orcover element 538 that covers and substantially seals the passageways530 c at the front surface 530 b of display receiving portion 530 tolimit or substantially preclude dirt, debris, water and other elementsand/or contaminants from being received at the outer ends of thepassageways so as to keep the passageways clear and to protect and sealthe electronic circuitry at the rear of the display portion. The coverelement thus may seal or substantially seal the display element anddisplay receiving portion to make the display device substantially waterimpervious and substantially impervious to other elements, such as dirt,debris and the like. Cover element 538 may comprise a substantiallytransparent or clear cover element or may be tinted (such as red-tintedor amber-tinted) to provide a desired or appropriate color or tint tothe light passing therethrough. As can be seen with reference to FIGS.15 and 16, cover element 538 may comprise a desired shape or form, suchas a triangular form or shape or other suitable indicating shape or thelike, while the LEDs 534 and passageways 530 c may function toilluminate and project light through the cover element 538. Optionally,the cover element 538 may comprise an optical lens element with lightdirecting properties configured to direct the light passing therethroughaway from the body-side of the host vehicle so as to be generally notviewable by the driver of the host vehicle. Optionally, cover element538 may be received in a recess 530 d formed or established at the frontsurface 530 b of display receiving portion 530. The angle of the rearsurface 530 a of display portion and/or of the passageways 530 c, and ofthe microlouvers or other optical guiding elements, may be selected toprovide the desired angle of the light path as the light exits thedisplay receiving portion and passes through the cover element 538,depending on the particular application of the display device and mirrorreflective element sub-assembly.

In the illustrated embodiment, the passageways 530 c are angled throughdisplay receiving portion 530 and are generally normal to circuitelement 532. As can be seen in FIG. 16, the passageways 530 c are angledinward and toward the host vehicle and toward the driver of the hostvehicle. The illumination sources or LEDs 534 are located at circuitelement 532 and at or near the end of passageways 530 c so that light534 a emitted by LEDs 534 is emitted through passageways 530 c andtoward the view of the driver of the host vehicle sitting in the vehiclecabin. The angle of the rear surface and/or the passageways may beselected to provide the desired angle of the light path as the lightexits the display receiving portion, depending on the particularapplication of the display device and reflective element sub-assembly.The passageways or slots may be established to provide the desiredindicator form or shape (such as an alert or warning shape or othersuitable shape or form), and may be readily viewable and discernible andrecognizable when the indicators or LEDs are activated. Because the backplate 520 and display receiving portion 530 of back plate 520 aresubstantially opaque, the passageways and indicators are not readilyviewable and discernible when the indicators or LEDs are deactivated.

Thus, the blind spot indicator or display element or device 522 providesan indication of a detection of an object or vehicle in the “blind spot”of the host vehicle (such as at the driver side of the vehicle andpartially rearward of the vehicle). The blind spot indicator 522 thusmay provide an alert or indication (via activation of the LEDs 534) toalert the driver of the vehicle as to the detected presence of an objector vehicle in the adjacent lane, such as may be detected by such systemsincluding a radar detector or an ultrasonic detector or a cameradetector or the like. The blind spot indicator device may be operable inconjunction with any suitable side object detection system or blind spotalert system or the like, such as by utilizing aspects of the systemsand/or devices discussed below. Optionally, the mirror reflectiveelement sub-assembly 512 may also include a turn signal indicator at anouter corner or quadrant of the reflective element, such as describedabove.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18, a display element ordevice 622 of a mirror reflective element sub-assembly 612 includes aturn signal indicating element or device 622 a and a blind spotindicating element or device 622 b for providing both a turn signalindicator and display area or icon or indicator 623 a and an object in ablind spot/LCA indicator and display area or indicator 623 b,respectively. Display device 622 is disposed at a display receivingportion 630 (such as a corner portion or region, such as an upperoutside/far quadrant or corner portion or region that is at the outerside of the reflective element and away from the body side of the hostvehicle at which the mirror assembly is mounted) of the back plate 620and is located at a perimeter region of the reflective elementsub-assembly so as to be operable to emit light outside of the perimeterof the reflective element 618 and not through the reflective element618. As can be seen in FIG. 18, display device 622 a is angled outwardso as to direct illumination or light outward and away from the bodyside of the host vehicle for displaying a turn signal indicator, such asin a similar manner as described above with display devices 422, 422′,422″, while display device 622 b is angled inward so as to directillumination or light inward and toward the body side of the hostvehicle for displaying a blind spot detection indicator, such as in asimilar manner as described above with respect to display device 522.

As shown in FIG. 18, display receiving portion 630 is formed as part ofthe back plate 620, such as in a similar manner as described above. Arear surface 630 a of display receiving portion 630 is generallyV-shaped, with an outward angled display receiving portion 630 a′ and aninward angled display receiving portion 630 a″. Each angled portion 630a′, 630 a″ includes or receives or supports a respective circuit elementor circuit board 632 (optionally, a single circuit element or circuitboard may be established at and across the angled portions 630 a′, 630a″), with one or more illumination sources or LEDs 634 a, 634 bestablished at the circuit element or elements for emitting lightthrough a respective passageway or passageways 630 c′, 630 c″ of displayreceiving portion 630. Each display device 622 a, 622 b may include alight directing film 636 a, 636 b, such as described above, and/or alens cover or cover element 638 (which may comprise separate coverelements or may comprise a single cover element across the displayportion) to substantially seal the passageways 630 c′, 630 c″ of displayreceiving portion 630, such as described above.

Thus, display device 622 a is operable to activate LED or LEDs 634 a,which emits light 635 a through light directing film 636 a and alongpassageway or passageways 630 c′ of display receiving portion 630 andthrough cover element 638, so that the LEDs emit light in a directionoutward and away from the body side of the host vehicle so that thelight is readily viewable by a driver of a vehicle at the side and/orrearward of the host vehicle. Similarly, display device 622 b isoperable to activate LED or LEDs 634 b, which emits light 635 b throughlight directing film 636 b and along passageway or passageways 630 c″ ofdisplay receiving portion 630 and through cover element 638, so that theLEDs emit light in a direction inward and toward the body side of thehost vehicle so that the light is readily viewable by the driver of thehost vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 17, the display indicators or areas of the displayreceiving portion 630 and display device 622 may be selected to be adesired or appropriate shape or form for their respective functions. Forexample, a display indicator 623 a for display device or turn signalindicator device 622 a may comprise an arrow or chevron shape or atriangle shape with a tip pointing outward away from the vehicle orother suitable turn signal indicator shape, while a display indicator623 b for display device or blind spot indicator device 622 b maycomprise a triangular shape with a tip pointing downward or may compriseany other suitable shape or indicator or icon, such as the indicatorshown in FIG. 1 or such as other suitable blind spot detection or LCAindicators or icons, such as those described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2006/026148, filed Jul. 5, 2006 and published Jan. 11, 2007 asInternational Publication No. WO 2007/005942, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Thus, the display elements or devices of the present invention provide adesired or appropriate iconistic display that, when electricallyactuated, emits light that is not directed through the mirror reflectiveelement. The display element may be formed with the back plate or mayattach to the back plate (such as by snapping to the back plate or thelike), and provides the desired angle effect relative to the reflectiveelement. For example, the reflective element may be attached to orsnapped into the back plate (which includes the display element at aperimeter region thereof), whereby the display element is thuspositioned at a desired or appropriate angle relative to the reflectiveelement to provide the desired or appropriate angle effect for directingthe light from the light sources (when electrically actuated) in adesired or predetermined angle relative to the mirror reflectiveelement. Thus, the display element provides the desired or appropriatepreset angle when the mirror reflective element is attached to the backplate.

The blind spot indicators of the present invention thus provide adisplay element or indicator that is disposed at or integrally providedwith the back plate. A back plate thus may be provided to a mirrormanufacturer with mounting or attachment structure or receivingstructure for the display element or display circuitry integrally formedwith the back plate. The attachment structure or receiving portion isconfigured to receive or attach to a display element or displaycircuitry or indicator element. A mirror assembler or manufacturer mayattach the display element to the attachment structure or receivingportion of the back plate (such as by snapping display circuitry or acircuit board at the attachment structure), whereby the display elementis oriented at a desired angle relative to the mirror reflective elementwhen attached to the back plate. Thus, illumination emanating from thedisplay element is directed at the desired or appropriate angle forviewing, either by the driver of the host vehicle (for a blind spotdetection system) or a driver of another vehicle (for a turn signalindicator).

The blind spot indicators of the present invention thus are operable toprovide an indication to the driver of the host vehicle that an objector other vehicle has been detected in the lane or area adjacent to theside of the host vehicle. The blind spot indicator may be operable inassociation with a blind spot detection system, which may include animaging sensor or sensors, or an ultrasonic sensor or sensors, or asonar sensor or sensors or the like. For example, the blind spotdetection system may utilize aspects of the blind spot detection and/orimaging systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,038,577; 6,882,287;6,198,409; 5,929,786; and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/239,980, filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496;and/or Ser. No. 11/315,675, filed Dec. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,720,580, and/or U.S. provisional applications Ser. No. 60/638,687,filed Dec. 23, 2004; Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No.60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; and/or Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct.14, 2004, and/or of the reverse or backup aid systems, such as therearwardly directed vehicle vision systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,550,677; 5,760,962; 5,670,935; 6,201,642; 6,396,397; 6,498,620;6,717,610 and/or 6,757,109, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/418,486, filed Apr. 18, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,974, and/or ofthe automatic headlamp controls described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094and/or 5,715,093; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/105,757,filed Apr. 14, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,526,103; and/or U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004, and/orof the rain sensors described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,250,148 and 6,341,523,and/or of other imaging systems, such as the types described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,353,392 and 6,313,454, which may utilize various imagingsensors or imaging array sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOSimaging array sensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such asthe types disclosed in commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677;5,760,962; 6,097,023 and 5,796,094, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/441,341, filed Nov. 16, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,339,149, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2003/036177, filed Nov. 14, 2003 and publishedJun. 3, 2004 as International Publication No. WO 2004/047421, with allof the above referenced U.S. patents, patent applications andprovisional applications and PCT applications being commonly assignedand being hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the indicator or indicators of the present invention mayalert the driver of the host vehicle of other situations or status orthe like. For example, the indicator could function to alert the driverof the host vehicle that the brake lights of the host vehicle arefunctioning properly. Other applications or uses of the indicator may beimplemented, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

The reflective element of the rearview mirror assembly may comprise anelectro-optic or electrochromic reflective element or cell, such as anelectrochromic mirror assembly and electrochromic reflective elementutilizing principles disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos.6,690,268; 5,140,455; 5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 6,002,544;5,567,360; 5,525,264; 5,610,756; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673;5,073,012; 5,117,346; 5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407 and/or4,712,879, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filedJan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; Ser. No. 11/021,065, filedDec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or Ser. No. 11/226,628,filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or U.S. provisional applications Ser. No.60/695,149, filed Jun. 29, 2005; Ser. No. 60/690,400, filed Jun. 14,2005; Ser. No. 60/681,250, filed May 16, 2005; and/or Ser. No.60/692,113, filed Jun. 20, 2005, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties, and/or as disclosed in thefollowing publications: N. R. Lynam, “Electrochromic AutomotiveDay/Night Mirrors”, SAE Technical Paper Series 870636 (1987); N. R.Lynam, “Smart Windows for Automobiles”, SAE Technical Paper Series900419 (1990); N. R. Lynam and A. Agrawal, “Automotive Applications ofChromogenic Materials”, Large Area Chromogenics: Materials and Devicesfor Transmittance Control, C. M. Lampert and C. G. Granquist, EDS.,Optical Engineering Press, Wash. (1990), which are hereby incorporatedby reference herein in their entireties. The thicknesses and materialsof the coatings on the substrates of the electrochromic reflectiveelement, such as on the third surface of the reflective elementassembly, may be selected to provide a desired color or tint to themirror reflective element, such as a blue colored reflector, such as isknown in the art and/or such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854and 6,420,036, and in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9,2003 and published Apr. 1, 2004 as International Publication No. WO2004/026633, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Optionally, use of an elemental semiconductor mirror, such as a siliconmetal mirror, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,286,965; 6,196,688;5,535,056; 5,751,489 and 6,065,840, and/or in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, can be advantageous because such elemental semiconductormirrors (such as can be formed by depositing a thin film of silicon) canbe greater than 50 percent reflecting in the photopic (SAE J964ameasured), while being also substantially transmitting of light (up to20 percent or even more). Such silicon mirrors also have the advantageof being able to be deposited onto a flat glass substrate and to be bentinto a curved (such as a convex or aspheric) curvature, which is alsoadvantageous since many passenger-side exterior rearview mirrors arebent or curved.

Optionally, the reflective element may include a perimeter metallicband, such as the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776,filed Sep. 19, 2003 and published on Apr. 1, 2004 as InternationalPublication No. WO 2004/026633; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 and published May 21, 2004 asInternational Publication No. WO 2004/042457; and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.7,255,451; and/or Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and publishedMar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008; and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/692,113, filed Jun. 20, 2005; Ser.No. 60/677,990, filed May 5, 2005; Ser. No. 60/653,787, filed Feb. 17,2005; Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005; Ser. No. 60/638,250,filed Dec. 21, 2004; Ser. No. 60/624,091, filed Nov. 1, 2004, and Ser.No. 60/609,642, filed Sep. 14, 2004, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference. Optionally, the reflective element may includeindicia formed at and viewable at the reflective element, such as byutilizing aspects of the reflective elements described in PCTApplication No. PCT/US2006/018567, filed May 15, 2006 and published Nov.23, 2006 as International Publication No. WO 2006/124682; and U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/681,250, filed May 16, 2005; Ser.No. 60/690,400, filed Jun. 14, 2005; Ser. No. 60/695,149, filed Jun. 29,2005; Ser. No. 60/730,334, filed Oct. 26, 2005; Ser. No. 60/750,199,filed Dec. 14, 2005; Ser. No. 60/774,449, filed Feb. 17, 2006; and Ser.No. 60/783,496, filed Mar. 18, 2006, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the reflective element may comprise a single substrate witha reflective coating at its rear surface, without affecting the scope ofthe present invention. The mirror assembly thus may comprise a prismaticmirror assembly or other mirror having a single substrate reflectiveelement, such as a mirror assembly utilizing aspects described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,318,870; 6,598,980; 5,327,288; 4,948,242; 4,826,289;4,436,371 and 4,435,042; and PCT Application No. PCT/US04/015424, filedMay 18, 2004 and published Dec. 2, 2004, as International PublicationNo. WO 2004/103772; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/933,842,filed Sep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, thereflective element may comprise a conventional prismatic or flatreflective element or prism, or may comprise a prismatic or flatreflective element of the types described in PCT Application No.PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003 and published Apr. 1, 2004 asInternational Publication No. WO 2004/026633; U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/709,434, filed May 5, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,420,756;Ser. No. 10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860;Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451;and/or Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.7,338,177, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18,2004 and published Dec. 2, 2004, as International Publication No. WO2004/103772, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or more displays, suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240 and/or 6,329,925,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and/ordisplay-on-demand or transflective type displays, such as the typesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and/or 5,724,187,and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22,2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17,2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4,2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,190; Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13,2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018;and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9, 2003and published Apr. 1, 2004 as International Publication No. WO2004/026633; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5,2003 and published May 21, 2004 as International Publication No. WO2004/042457; and/or U.S. provisional applications Ser. No. 60/630,061,filed Nov. 22, 2004; Ser. No. 60/667,048, filed Mar. 31, 2005; Ser. No.60/629,926, filed Nov. 22, 2004; Ser. No. 60/531,838, filed Dec. 23,2003; Ser. No. 60/553,842, filed Mar. 17, 2004; and Ser. No. 60/563,342,filed Apr. 19, 2004, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filedDec. 19, 2003 and published Jul. 15, 2004 as International PublicationNo. WO 2004/058540, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, or may include or incorporate videodisplays or the like, such as the types described in PCT Application No.PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003 and published Jul. 15, 2004 asInternational Publication No. WO 2004/058540, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar.9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018; and/or Ser. No.11/284,543, filed Nov. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,983; and/orU.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004;and Ser. No. 60/667,048, filed Mar. 31, 2005, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display may be associated with a navigation systemand/or a telematics system of the vehicle, such as, for example, anONSTAR® system as found in General Motors vehicles and/or such astelematics systems and/or navigation systems such as described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442; 5,632,092;5,798,688; 5,971,552; 5,924,212; 6,243,003; 6,278,377; 6,420,975;6,946,978; 6,477,464; 6,678,614 and/or 7,004,593, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No.7,167,796; Ser. No. 10/964,512, filed Oct. 13, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.7,308,341; Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar.9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018; Ser. No. 11/284,543,filed Nov. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,983; and/or Ser. No.10/529,715, filed Mar. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,657,052, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Thus, the display (such as a video display and such as a slide-out videodisplay of the types described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0050018; and/or Ser. No. 11/284,543, filed Nov.22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,983, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties, or such as display on demandtransflective display such as those described above) may displaydirectional instructions or information (and may activate or slide-outat an appropriate time for displaying such directional instructions) asthe vehicle approaches waypoints along a set or selected navigationalroute. Optionally, a telematics system (such as ONSTAR® or the like) mayprovide audible instructions to provide step-by-step vocal instructionsto the driver of the vehicle as the vehicle is driven along the setroute. For example, an operator at a remote service center may, afterreceiving instructions from the driver of the vehicle (such as a requestfor turn-by-turn or other directions for the driver to follow from thelocation where the driver and vehicle are to a targeted location ordestination), provide step-by-step vocal directions to the driver'svehicle via the telematics system. The vehicle-based control or systemmay digitally record the step-by-step vocal instructions (or thedirections may be downloaded to the vehicle-based system), and the audiodirections (as keyed or corresponding to specific waypoints along theroute) may then be played automatically through the vehicle's speakersof the vehicle's audio system or through other speakers, such as whenthe vehicle approaches the specific waypoints along the set or selectedroute (as may be determined by a vehicle-based global positioningsystem).

Optionally, the display or video display may provide visiblestep-by-step directional or navigational instructions along the route(such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No.7,167,796; Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar.9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018; and/or Ser. No.11/284,543, filed Nov. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,983, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties). Such adisplay (preferably a display on demand transflective display orthrough-the-mirror display that displays or projects or emits displayinformation through the mirror reflective element for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle) may be activated as the vehicle approaches thenext waypoint so that the next turn instruction is displayed only whenthe vehicle approaches or is proximate to the next waypoint, and thenmay be deactivated (so that the display may “disappear” or no be longerviewable by the driver of the vehicle) after the waypoint is passed (andthen may reappear or reactivate again as the vehicle approaches the nextwaypoint).

In applications where the display is located behind the mirror reflectorof the interior rearview mirror assembly and is operable as a display ondemand transflective display, the display may be activated to be viewedthrough the reflective element and, when the display is deactivated, themirror functions as a normal reflective mirror to provide a normalrearward field of view to the driver of the vehicle. Such a display ondemand transflective display thus provides a covert display that isviewable only when activated and thus only during times when it isappropriate or desired to view the display, and is substantiallynon-viewable or non-visible at other times.

Optionally, the turn-by-turn or step-by-step display may be associatedwith or may supplement the audible message from the telematics systemoperator. This may be beneficial since some drivers or consumers mayfeel that such audible or vocal turn-by-turn or step-by-stepinstructions are intrusive to conversations or music listening or thelike, and may be “nagging”, if continually repeated as the driverapproaches each turn or waypoint. Thus, the driver may elect to have theaudible instructions or visible display instructions or both during thenavigational sequence. The display may display a written text message(such as a text message of the vocal instruction) pertaining to the nextinstruction (such as “turn left at next intersection” or “take rightfork ahead” or “take exit 98” or “turn right on Woodward Avenue” or thelike) or may display a graphic or iconistic display (such as a turnarrow or a cross-street map or the like) at the appropriate timecorresponding to the vehicle approaching the next waypoint or turn(and/or at an appropriate distance from the next waypoint or turn) alongthe route (and corresponding to the next vocal or audible message asprovided by the remote operator of the telematics system, such asONSTAR® or the like). Optionally, the distance or time before thewaypoint or turn at which the display is activated may vary depending onthe speed of the vehicle or other parameters, such as weather or drivingor traffic conditions or the like. It is envisioned that the audible orvocal message could be played or communicated once as the vehicleapproaches the next waypoint (such as when the vehicle is apredetermined distance or time until arrival at the next waypoint), andthe visible display may provide the iconistic display or textual displayduring the time that elapses between the audible or vocal message andthe arrival at the waypoint by the vehicle.

The visible iconistic or textual display/message thus may supplementand/or complement the audio or vocal message. The display system andnavigation system thus may receive and process the information providedby ONSTAR® or the like (such as information data and/or vocalmessage/recording that corresponds to or is coded to a set of parametersthat corresponds to and/or defines particular geographical locations orwaypoints, such as degrees longitude and latitude of the geographicallocations or waypoints), whereby the audible message may be triggered oractivated as the vehicle approaches the next waypoint, and the visiblemessage may supplement or complement the audible message. Optionally,the visible information may be displayed without the audible message,which may be particularly appreciated by deaf or hearing impaireddrivers.

Optionally, when the display on demand transflective display is notdisplaying the directional instructions/information (such as betweenwaypoints along the set route), it may be desirable to have the displaycontinue to display other information, such as a compass directionalheading display or the like (such as a compass display associated with acompass system of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,004,593;5,924,212; 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442 and/or 5,632,092,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/305,637, filed Dec. 16, 2005,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,329,013, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties). In such a situation, it is envisionedthat a backlit display (such as a backlit LCD display of the typesdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13,2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018;and/or Ser. No. 11/284,543, filed Nov. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,370,983, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties) may have some of the backlighting deactivated (such as aportion or zone of the backlighting that backlights the directionalinstructions provided at the video LCD display element or monitor),while one or more other portions or elements or zones of thebacklighting are activated, so as to continue displaying otherinformation (such as compass directional heading information or icons orcharacters or the like). For example, with a backlighting device orelement that comprises a plurality of illumination or light sources thatare operable to backlight a LCD video display (such as a backlit LCDdisplay of the types described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/284,543, filed Nov. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,983, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), a zone orregion of the backlighting device comprising a plurality of adjacentlight sources (such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or the like) may beactivated to backlight a corresponding zone or region of the LCDdisplay, while other zones or regions of the backlighting device may bedeactivated so as to not backlight the corresponding zones or regions ofthe LCD display (and thus not displaying information at those zones orregions, even if the LCD display is fully activated).

Thus, if it is desired to not have the entire backlighting device lit oractivated, the display may be operable to activate or light a small area(such as about 1 cm² or thereabouts, or smaller or larger if desired) tobacklight compass directional heading information of the display. Thus,the backlighting device or element may be selectively or differentiallyactivated to provide the desired display on demand transflective displayat the mirror reflective element, while not displaying other portions ofthe display when those other portions are not desired to be viewed bythe driver. Although described as selectively or differentiallyactivating portions or zones or elements or regions of the display todisplay directional instructions or information and compass information,it is envisioned that a backlighting element or device of a display maybe differentially activated to selectively illuminate or backlight otherdisplay portions or display information, such as display informationpertaining to a vehicle status (such as a low fuel indicator or oilchange indicator or the like) or a telephone or telematics system statusor function, or any other suitable display at the interior rearviewmirror assembly of the vehicle, while remaining within the spirit andscope of the present invention. As disclosed in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381,depending on the application, LEDs emitting a colored light can be used,such as high intensity amber and reddish orange light emitting diodesources, such as solid state light emitting diode LED sources utilizingdouble hydro junction AlGaAs/GaAs Material Technology, such as very highintensity red LED lamps (5 mm) HLMP-4100/4101 available from HewlettPackard Corporation of Palo Alto, Calif., or transparent substratealuminum indium gallium phosphide (AlInGaP) Material Technology,commercially available from Hewlett Packard Corporation of Palo Alto,Calif. Also, blue can be used, or a combination of individual differentcolored diodes, such as red, blue, white, green, amber, orange etc. canbe used with color mixing thereof to form a desired color or to delivera desired local intensity of illumination as noted above. Other suitablewhite emitting light-emitting diodes are available from Nichia ChemicalIndustries of Tokyo, Japan and from Cree Research Inc., of Durham, N.C.For example, a white light emitting diode is available from NichiaChemical Industries of Tokyo, Japan under Model Nos. NSPW 300AS, NSPW500S, NSPW 310AS, NSPW 315AS, NSPW 510S, NSPW 515S and NSPW WF50S, suchas is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/448,700, filedNov. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,925, and in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/244,726, filed Feb. 5, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No.6,172,613, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated byreference herein. A variety of constructions are used including GaAsP onGaP substrate, gallium aluminum phosphide, indium gallium nitride, andGaN on a SiC substrate. Optionally, a plurality of LEDs such as acluster of two, three, four, six, eight or the like LEDs (each of thesame color or the cluster comprising different colored LEDs) can be usedto target and illuminate a local area for higher illumination at thatarea, such as may be useful in a map light or as a reading light or asan interior light or as an illumination source for an interior vehiclecabin-mounted and monitoring camera (most preferably illuminating thetarget area with white light). Such a cluster of high efficiency LEDscan be mounted at the mirror mount so as to project an intense patternof light generally downwardly into the vehicle cabin for purposes of mapreading, general illumination, courtesy illumination and the like. Also,a cluster of LED's, preferably including at least one white emitting LEDand/or at least one blue emitting LED, can be mounted in a roof portion,side portion or any other portion of the vehicle cabin to furnish domelighting, rail lighting, compartment lighting and the like. Use of whiteemitting LEDs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,590, the entiredisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Other suitable LEDs may include high-intensity, high current capabilitylight emitting diodes such as the high-flux power LEDs available fromLumiLeds Lighting, U.S., LLC of San Jose, Calif. under the SunPowerSeries High-Flux LED tradename. Such high-intensity power LEDs comprisea power package allowing high current operation of at least about 100milliamps forward current, more preferably at least about 250 milliampsforward current, and most preferably at least about 350 milliampsforward current through a single LED. Such high current/high-intensitypower LEDs (as high as 500 mA or more current possible, and especiallywith use of heat sinks) are capable of delivering a luminous efficiencyof at least about 1 lumen per watt, more preferably at least about 3lumens per watt, and most preferably at least about 5 lumens per watt.Such high intensity power LEDs are available in blue, green, blue-green,red, amber, yellow and white light emitting forms, as well as othercolors. Such high-intensity LEDs can provide a wide-angle radiationpattern, such as an about 30 degree to an about 160 degree cone. Suchhigh-intensity power LEDs, when normally operating, emit a luminous fluxof at least about 1 lumen, more preferably at least about 5 lumens andmost preferably at least about 10 lumens. For certain applications suchas ground illumination from lighted exterior mirror assemblies andinterior mirror map lights, such high-intensity power LEDs preferablyconduct at least about 250 milliamps forward current when operated at avoltage in the about 2 volts to about 5 volts range, and emit a luminousflux of at least about 10 lumens, more preferably at least about 15lumens and most preferably at least about 25 lumens, preferably emittingwhite light. Typically, such high-intensity power LEDs are fabricatedusing Indium Gallium Nitride technology. However, to maintain the lowtemperatures associated with lower-intensity LEDs, for example belowabout 130 degrees Celsius, more preferably below about 100° Celsius, andmost preferably below about 70 degrees Celsius, a heat sink can beincorporated into incandescent light source unit 16. Preferably such aheat sink comprises a metal heat dissipater (such as an aluminum metalheat sink) with a surface area dissipating heat of at least about 1square inch, more preferably of at least about 2.5 square inches, andmost preferably of at least about 3.5 square inches. Further details ofsuitable heat sinks are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381 inreference to the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 25-27 and 30-33 of U.S.Pat. No. 7,195,381. When used as, for example, a map/reading lightassembly for an interior mirror assembly (such as in the mirror housingor in a pod attaching to the mirror mount to the vehicle), a singlehigh-intensity power LED (for example, a single white light emittingpower LED passing about 350 mA and emitting white light with a luminousefficiency of at least about 3 lumens per watt, and with a light patternof about 120 degrees or so) can be used. As noted above, though notrequired, such a light source may be combined with a reflector elementand a lens to form a high-intensity power LED interior light modulecapable of directing an intense white light beam of light from theinterior mirror assembly to the lap area of a driver or a front-seatpassenger in order to allow a reading function, such as a map readingfunction and/or to provide courtesy or theatre lighting within thevehicle cabin.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include an imaging device, such asan imaging array sensor for imaging systems of the types described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,396,397; 6,201,642; 6,353,392;6,313,454; 6,396,397; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,796,094; 5,877,897;6,097,023 and 6,498,620, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/441,341, filed Nov. 16, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,339,149, and Ser.No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Such displays and imaging systems may be associated with a night visionsystem. Night vision systems are known in the vehicle imaging art andtypically capture images of or data representative or indicative of aforward scene and display or show the captured images to the driver toalert the driver as to what is ahead of or in the path of the vehicle.However, the driver has to look at the display and distinguish what theimages are that are captured by the night vision system.

Optionally, a night vision system may include a forward facing sensorthat detects or senses objects in a forward field of view ahead of thevehicle as the vehicle travels along the road. For example, a nightvision system may include a passive forward facing sensor, such as a farinfrared or thermal sensor or imager or the like, or an active forwardfacing sensor, such as a near infrared sensor or infrared sensor thatthat captures images of the forward scene as illuminated or flooded bynear infrared or infrared light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodesor the like. Such near infrared or infrared energy sources maysubstantially flood the forward scene with infrared or near infraredenergy to enhance the imaging or capturing of image data by a forwardfacing sensor (which may be at the interior rearview mirror assembly ora windshield electronics module or accessory module or the like, with aforward field of view through the windshield of the vehicle, and whichis selected to be sensitive to such infrared or near infrared energy)while limiting or substantially precluding glare to the driver of thehost vehicle and other vehicles approaching the host vehicle. An outputof the forward facing sensor is fed to or communicated to a processor orcontrol (such as an image processor of the types described in U.S. Pat.No. 7,038,577 and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/408,776, filedApr. 21, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,463,138; and/or Ser. No. 11/315,675,filed Dec. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,720,580, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and/or such as aprocessor of the type incorporated in Mobileye's EyeQ™ system-on-a-chipvideo-based object detection sensing system, such as is commerciallyavailable from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel,or such as any other suitable image data processor) that processes thecaptured image data and determines or detects objects that are in theforward field of view and beyond the visible or viewable range of thedriver. When such objects are detected (such as a deer or other objectin the road ahead of the vehicle), an alert (such as an audible orvisual alert) is generated to alert the driver that the vehicle isapproaching an object that is not yet visible or viewable or discernibleto the driver of the vehicle.

The alert may be provided as an iconistic display or image display orvideo display for viewing by the driver of the host vehicle. Desirably,the display may be located at the interior rearview mirror assembly,such as a display on demand type of display at and behind the mirrorreflective element of the interior rearview mirror assembly (such as thetypes disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and/or 5,724,187,and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22,2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17,2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4,2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,190; Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13,2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018;and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.7,255,451, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties), or such as a slide-out display or the like (such asdisplays of the types described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0050018; and/or Ser. No. 11/284,543, filed Nov.22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,983, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties). The display is activated todisplay the alert or icon or image/images (such as a video image of theforward scene) in response to a detection of an object by the sensor orimager, and thus is an episodal type of display that is tied to thedetection of an object and is activated to display pertinent informationto the driver of the vehicle and is deactivated when no object isdetected in the forward scene. Thus, the display may provide episodaldisplays or images or icons as needed to alert the driver that thevehicle is approaching an object that may not yet be visible to thedriver, yet is deactivated when not needed so as to avoid bothering ordistracting the driver when no object is detected ahead of the vehicle.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A mirror reflective element sub-assemblyfor an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirrorreflective element sub-assembly comprising: a mirror reflective elementcomprising a transparent substrate having a front surface and a rearsurface; a mirror reflector disposed at one of said front surface ofsaid transparent substrate and said rear surface of said transparentsubstrate; a heater pad disposed at said rear surface of saidtransparent substrate, wherein said heater pad comprises a substantiallynon-light transmitting portion and a light transmitting portion; amirror back plate disposed at said heater pad, said mirror back platecomprising a plate portion having a front plate surface facing saidheater pad and a rear plate surface rearward of and spaced from saidfront plate surface by a thickness dimension of said plate portion ofsaid mirror back plate; wherein said mirror back plate comprises a firststructure formed at said rear plate surface, wherein said firststructure is configured to attach at an actuator of an exterior rearviewmirror assembly; wherein said mirror back plate comprises a secondstructure formed at said rear plate surface; wherein said mirror backplate is formed by injection molding and wherein said first structure,said second structure and said plate portion of said mirror back plateare formed during injection molding of said mirror back plate; a blindspot indicator element having a light source that is activatable to emitlight; wherein said blind spot indicator element is associated with ablind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with said mirrorreflective element sub-assembly; wherein said light source comprises atleast one light emitting diode; wherein said blind spot indicatorelement is disposed at said second structure of said mirror back plate;an icon that is illuminated when said light source is activated; whereinsaid blind spot indicator element, when said light source is activated,emits light through said light transmitting portion of said heater padand through said mirror reflective element; and wherein said blind spotindicator element and said second structure are configured so that lightemitted by said blind spot indicator element, when said light source isactivated and when said mirror reflective element sub-assembly isdisposed at an exterior rearview mirror of the equipped vehicle,illuminates said icon so that the illuminated icon is principally viewedby a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver views said mirrorreflective element of said mirror reflective element sub-assembly. 2.The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein saidblind spot indicator element makes mechanical connection at said secondstructure when disposed at said second structure.
 3. The mirrorreflective element sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein said blind spotindicator element comprises a self-contained sealed unit, and whereinsaid self-contained sealed unit is substantially impervious to wateringress.
 4. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1,wherein said icon is established at said light transmitting portion ofsaid heater pad.
 5. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim1, wherein said icon is established at one of said front surface of saidtransparent substrate and said rear surface of said transparentsubstrate.
 6. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1,wherein said icon is established between said mirror back plate and saidrear surface of said transparent substrate.
 7. The mirror reflectiveelement sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein said icon is established at anotherwise substantially opaque layer disposed at one of said frontsurface of said transparent substrate and said rear surface of saidtransparent substrate.
 8. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly ofclaim 1, wherein said icon is established through a coating of saidtransparent substrate.
 9. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly ofclaim 1, wherein said icon is established through said mirror reflector.10. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein saidsecond structure comprises a portion of a passageway, and wherein lightemitted by said blind spot indicator element passes through saidpassageway.
 11. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 10,further comprising a cover element at least partially at said secondstructure, and wherein at least one of (i) said cover elementsubstantially seals said passageway of said second structure and (ii)said passageway is at least partially filled with a substantiallytransparent or translucent material to substantially seal saidpassageway and to allow light to pass through said passageway.
 12. Themirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein said secondstructure extends at least partially from said rear plate surface at anangle of less than 90 degrees relative to said rear plate surface so asto be angled away from the side of the equipped vehicle at which theexterior rearview mirror equipped with said mirror reflective elementsub-assembly is mounted.
 13. The mirror reflective element sub-assemblyof claim 1, wherein said second structure comprises a part of said blindspot indicator element.
 14. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly foran exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirrorreflective element sub-assembly comprising: a mirror reflective elementcomprising a transparent substrate having a front surface and a rearsurface; a mirror reflector disposed at one of said front surface ofsaid transparent substrate and said rear surface of said transparentsubstrate; a heater pad disposed at said rear surface of saidtransparent substrate, wherein said heater pad comprises a substantiallynon-light transmitting portion and a light transmitting portion; amirror back plate disposed at said heater pad, said mirror back platecomprising a plate portion having a front plate surface facing saidheater pad and a rear plate surface rearward of and spaced from saidfront plate surface by a thickness dimension of said plate portion ofsaid mirror back plate; wherein said mirror back plate comprises a firststructure formed at said rear plate surface, wherein said firststructure is configured to attach at an actuator of an exterior rearviewmirror assembly; wherein said mirror back plate comprises a secondstructure formed at said rear plate surface; wherein said mirror backplate is formed by injection molding and wherein said first structure,said second structure and said plate portion of said mirror back plateare formed during injection molding of said mirror back plate; a blindspot indicator element having a light source that is activatable to emitlight; wherein said blind spot indicator element is associated with ablind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with said mirrorreflective element sub-assembly; wherein said light source comprises atleast one light emitting diode; wherein said blind spot indicatorelement is disposed at said second structure of said mirror back plate;an icon that is illuminated when said light source is activated; whereinsaid icon is established through said mirror reflector; wherein saidblind spot indicator element, when said light source is activated, emitslight through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad andthrough said mirror reflective element; wherein said blind spotindicator element and said second structure are configured so that lightemitted by said blind spot indicator element, when said light source isactivated and when said mirror reflective element sub-assembly isdisposed at an exterior rearview mirror of the equipped vehicle,illuminates said icon so that the illuminated icon is principally viewedby a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver views said mirrorreflective element of said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; andwherein said second structure extends at least partially from said rearplate surface at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to said rearplate surface so as to be angled away from the side of the equippedvehicle at which the exterior rearview mirror equipped with said mirrorreflective element sub-assembly is mounted.
 15. The mirror reflectiveelement sub-assembly of claim 14, wherein said blind spot indicatorelement comprises a self-contained sealed unit, and wherein saidself-contained sealed unit is substantially impervious to water ingress.16. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 14, wherein saidsecond structure comprises a portion of a passageway, said emitted lightpassing through said passageway.
 17. The mirror reflective elementsub-assembly of claim 14, wherein said second structure comprises a partof said blind spot indicator element.
 18. A mirror reflective elementsub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, saidmirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising: a mirror reflectiveelement comprising a transparent substrate having a front surface and arear surface; a mirror reflector disposed at one of said front surfaceof said transparent substrate and said rear surface of said transparentsubstrate; a heater pad disposed at said rear surface of saidtransparent substrate, wherein said heater pad comprises a substantiallynon-light transmitting portion and a light transmitting portion; amirror back plate disposed at said heater pad, said mirror back platecomprising a plate portion having a front plate surface facing saidheater pad and a rear plate surface rearward of and spaced from saidfront plate surface by a thickness dimension of said plate portion ofsaid mirror back plate; wherein said mirror back plate comprises a firststructure formed at said rear plate surface, wherein said firststructure is configured to attach at an actuator of an exterior rearviewmirror assembly; wherein said mirror back plate comprises a secondstructure formed at said rear plate surface; wherein said mirror backplate is formed by injection molding and wherein said first structure,said second structure and said plate portion of said mirror back plateare formed during injection molding of said mirror back plate; a blindspot indicator element having a light source that is activatable to emitlight; wherein said blind spot indicator element comprises aself-contained sealed unit, and wherein said self-contained sealed unitis substantially impervious to water ingress; wherein said blind spotindicator element is associated with a blind spot detection system of avehicle equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly;wherein said light source comprises at least one light emitting diode;wherein said blind spot indicator element is disposed at said secondstructure of said mirror back plate; an icon that is illuminated whensaid light source is activated; wherein said blind spot indicatorelement, when said light source is activated, emits light through saidlight transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said mirrorreflective element; wherein said blind spot indicator element and saidsecond structure are configured so that light emitted by said blind spotindicator element, when said light source is activated and when saidmirror reflective element sub-assembly is disposed at an exteriorrearview mirror of the equipped vehicle, illuminates said icon so thatthe illuminated icon is principally viewed by a driver of the equippedvehicle when the driver views said mirror reflective element of saidmirror reflective element sub-assembly; and wherein said secondstructure extends at least partially from said rear plate surface at anangle of less than 90 degrees relative to said rear plate surface so asto be angled away from the side of the equipped vehicle at which theexterior rearview mirror equipped with said mirror reflective elementsub-assembly is mounted.
 19. The mirror reflective element sub-assemblyof claim 18, wherein said second structure comprises a portion of apassageway, said emitted light passing through said passageway.
 20. Themirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 18, wherein said secondstructure comprises a part of said blind spot indicator element.